


A Song and A Dance

by happywife416



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Angst, Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff, Maxson Negative, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-06-09
Packaged: 2018-05-24 19:57:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 33,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6164911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happywife416/pseuds/happywife416
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Formerly Dansing the Commonwealth</p><p>Belle was an archivist for the Boston Library before the War. Her marriage was a sham; the day the bombs fell she was supposed to be going to a divorce lawyer. Shaun is not her son; he is the product of a heartbreaking affair her husband had that ended in his birth mother’s death. She feels responsible for the child who has no idea that she isn’t his mother and is on a quest through the Commonwealth to find him and herself. The General Mom is turning everyone on their ear, one mostly good deed at a time. Danse still hasn’t figured out what hit him; other then most of the time she’s covered in dog hair and smells like hubsflowers, even when she is ripping super mutant’s heads off with her bare hands. It may have been love at first sight. But is love enough? The Commonwealth throws some nasty curveballs from the Institute itself, Danse's very identity, and the Brotherhood. Belle eventually finds solace in Far Harbor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Something to Live For

"You're dangerous, soldier."

Belle grinned. "The only way I'm leaving is dead. Might as well make it epic until then."

Danse shook his head. "And what good would dying do?"

Belle arched an eyebrow. "I didn't say I had a death wish, paladin. My whole fucking world was taken from me. And what? I should just roll over and cry? It doesn't bother me to get dirty." She walked away from him, heading up the hill towards their objective. She huffed, climbing over the top of the rise. "Assholes who hurt people who can't fight back make me see red. Before the war? I couldn't do shit. Now? I'm quite happy shedding their blood and bathing in it."

Danse stared at her. She shrugged without looking back at him. "I don't have a lot to live for, Danse. I might as well find something."

"What about your son?"

She gave a soft chuckle and stopped, stretching. "I forgot. Shaun isn't my son. His father brought him home like you would a puppy. Shaun is a product of Nate and an affair. I feel responsible for him or at least to find out what happened to him. Motherly love? Not so much." She very carefully did not look at him the entire time she talked. Normally, she was straight forward, boring her eyes into you while you had a conversation.

"This must be difficult then."

"It is what it is." She met his eyes, shining with fury and a hint of tears. "Let's go kill some mutants and forget I have a heart, okay?" She stomped off from him, swinging her gun off her back as she started scanning the area. Danse shook his head, how someone so tiny could be filled with so much rage had been concerning him but she earned it.


	2. Hammer to a Landmine

Belle smiled at him while she worked on her gun. "What?"

Danse was leaned against the door of shack, content to watch her. "I like watching you work. You're very good at that."

She chuckled, twirling the wrench in her fingers. "You should have seen my first few attempts. I'm lucky I didn't lose a finger or have a gun blow up in my face. Especially that time I inadvertently dropped a hammer on a landmine."

Danse blinked twice before speaking. "You what?"

Belle giggled sheepishly. "I couldn't get it apart to see how it was made. I thought since it was disabled it would be fine to crack open that way."

"You're lucky you aren't dead."

She wrinkled her nose. "It's why I left Sanctuary again. They got a little jumpy there. I don't fit their mold of acceptable person anyway. I'm not content farming and just surviving. No point in continuing to terrorize them."

He shifted and crossed his arms. "What about companionship? Don't you miss people?"

She gave a hard scoff. "I'm an introvert. I don't like people. It's fine just me and Dogmeat." She looked up at him before cracking an impish grin. She had the best dimples he had ever seen. "Besides I have you. Tall, dark, handsome, and usually quiet."

He matched her smile. "I can go back to being quiet."

She cocked her head to one side. "Only if you continue to stand there. That power armor does you zero justice, Danse. You are the kind of man that can drive a girl to distraction. Try brooding, women will have babies in your honor."

He shook his head. "You're a strange woman."

She arched both eyebrows, turning to face him. She peeled off the top of her vault suit so she was standing in a simple tank top, smiling when he swallowed hard. "If by strange you mean checking you have a pulse in there, tin can." She bent back over her work and smiled over her shoulder. "I only bite if you want me too."

Danse swallowed again. "I need to go check my weapon, it was misfiring last time." Belle's laughter followed him out of the shack.


	3. Too Easy

"Do I want to know what you are making?"

"I'm not against random cannibalism." Belle said as she skewered tonight's dinner and placed it above the fire. At Danse's expression she laughed. "Really, you make it far too easy."

"Make what easy?" He settled in across the fire from her, power armor standing behind him.

"Ruffling your feathers. Offending your sensibilities." She pulled the cap off nuka cola and handed it to him before opening one for herself. She propped her elbows on her knees and leaned her chin on her hands. "Do you recite Brotherhood propaganda in your sleep?"

Danse chose to ignore her laughing smirk and took up checking his weapons. She hummed happily while she watched over dinner, turning it as needed. "So where can I get Maxson's coat? Does he have two? I'd pay for one, and he's cute enough I'd let him pick the currency."

Danse coughed nuka cola into the fire. "Elder Maxson, soldier. And I wouldn't know."

Belle gave a sigh of longing with a dramatic flutter of her dark lashes. "That's too bad. It's a nice coat."

She pulled dinner off the fire and gave him half. It didn't take her long to devour her portion and she washed it down with the rest of her nuka cola. Belle rummaged through her back and pulled out the copies of Live and Love she had found.

"Comic books? I thought those were a waste of time." Danse scoffed.

Belle eyed him. "I guess that makes sense. Reading isn't big amongst you Neanderthal types."

"What?"

"Neanderthal. Lots of big muscles and brute force but asking nicely is like pulling teeth and reading isn't going to happen."

"I read. Education is essential in the Brotherhood."

She arranged her pack so she could lounge against it, boots neatly crossed at the ankle. "But do you read for fun?"

"I don't have time."

Belle scoffed. "Well. I'm going to read. I have some more if you get tired of polishing your weapon." She bit her lower lip and giggled. "I'll take first watch. Unless you intend to polish your other weapon before catching some sleep. I don't like being left out." The flush that crept across Danse's cheeks caused her to relinquish her laughter to the night sky. Tears streamed down her face as she stared at the stars. "You make it too easy, paladin. Far too easy."


	4. Stop Getting in Front of My Shots

“Danse? We need to talk.”

“About what?” He asked has he turned to face her from surveying the land about them, always alert for enemies.

Belle took a moment to collect what she is about to say. She gave a small sigh, before cocking her hips to one side with her hands resting on them. The way she stood accentuated the fact she was well ‘”I can shoot things a hell of a lot better without you standing in front of me."

Danse looked down at his feet, just a bit sheepishly. “I’m the biggest target when we are on the field. You also don’t wear your power armor, soldier. It makes sense if I take point in battle.”

Belle gave a soft chuckle. “And you aren’t the one who has to crouch to aim, making the other member of the party uncomfortable in that power armor, right?”

Danse reddened slightly, gulping in some air before rushing to say “I meant no such thing.”

She playfully poked his chest, clad in said power armor, before laying her palm flat against it. “You can hide a lot of things in that suit of armor, paladin. But you can only hide your face if you would wear a helmet. And then I wouldn’t worry so much about you being in front of me. I’d rather not have clear sights only to put a bullet in your unprotected head by accident.”

She was gazing up at him, her eyes as soft as the lines of her lips. Lips that maybe he had thought about too much recently and that he now found himself unable to look away from until she smiled and asked “Anyone home up there?”

He stumbled over his words a little. “Right. Not a problem. Maybe you can set up further back and cover me in fights then? Because I have felt the wind a few times.”

Belle let out another sigh and shook her head. She went up on her tiptoes, both hands now against his armor clad chest for support. “I am really not a damsel in need of saving, Danse. I’d rather we went back to watch each other’s backs instead of me just staring at yours. But I do appreciate the thought, I just like you in one piece better.” She laid a soft kiss on his cheek before turning to go back into her workshop.

She aimed a look over her shoulder at him before saying “Although maybe if you came out of your power armor sometimes, I would be able to enjoy the view better.” She smirked at the look on his face and swayed her hips back inside in such a way he equally sure it was on purpose and that he could watch it all day.

Danse silently cursed his power armor for the first time in his life as he turned back to survey the land. That woman was going to be the death of him one way or another.


	5. Before the War

"What did you do before the War?" Danse asked over the cackling of the fire.

Belle looked up from her gun cleaning. "I was an archivist and did historical reenactments. I always liked the past best."

"Reenactments?"

"Yeah. I preferred Regency era and Wild West ones. It's hard to go wrong with pretty dresses and guns." She laughed at the look on his face. "I'm not sure that would have been covered in your Brotherhood history classes."

Danse shrugged. "There's a reason I'm not a scribe."

Belle shook her head. "Those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it."

"Yet you continue to run head long into fights." Danse pointed out staring at her latest wound.

Belle gave him an arched look. "My aim is garbage and I'm not wasting the ammo to get better." She grinned. "Besides, I'm effective at close range." She fingered the bandage on her arm. "Scars don't scare me. Chicks dig them."

Danse shook his head, fighting a smile. "What about all this though?"

Belle looked at him, head cocking to one side in an eerie resemblance to Dogmeat. "This?"

"You know guns. You can cook. You take one look at a plant and harvest a bag of it. You build laser turrets out of junk. The Minutemen don't teach that."

"Ah." Belle gave her rifle one last buff. "Guns I learned from my dad. Along with hunting, fishing, and how to cook on a fire. We went camping almost every weekend. It was cheap or free and that's all we could afford. Gardening and herbs I learned from my mother. She was a stickler for us looking our best so I can sew as well. She taught me how to drive a hard bargain. They raised their daughters to be self-sufficient." She gave a dark laugh. "Not that I used it much married to a war hero who was worried about appearances."

She gathered up her equipment into its box. Belle gave him a quick grin before taking her stuff inside. Between the laser turrets and Dogmeat, she didn't feel the need to carry her gun everywhere in Red Rocket. She came back out with a box of junk to sort. Danse was always a bit taken aback by how much she could get done in a day. She was always in some process of doing. She rummaged around the box and found something to take apart. "What happened to him?"

Belle's hands froze mid motion and cleared her throat awkwardly. "He died. In the Vault when they took Shaun. Shot him right in the chest."

She sorted the pieces quickly but Danse noticed the slight tremble in her hands. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Her laugh was all sharp edges. "No. Don't be. It was a bad marriage. We fought constantly about everything and nothing. He had an affair that produced Shaun who he brought home like a puppy. He thought he could just charm that child right in to my arms. That I wouldn't mind raising another woman's brat." Her hand clenched around a broken edge of metal blood welling to the surface. She dropped the piece and stared hard at the cut. "He wanted a little trophy wife. No scars. No identity. Just something he could leave on a shelf."

She hissed when she poured the antiseptic across her hand and cursed when she bandaged it up only to drop the lid of the first aid kit on it. She glanced back at the fire and at Danse. Shaking her head, she stepped farther into the shadows to gaze up at the moon. There were things she wanted to tell Danse, about Nate and herself. But she was afraid of what he would think. A chuckle escaped her lips, deathclaws she could handle but having Danse think less of her made her cringe.

Danse rose from the fire and Dogmeat thumped his tail in support. Belle was standing just out of the awning, bathed in moonlight. He took several steps toward her ethereal form before stopping. His heart was pounding in his chest so loudly he was sure she could hear it. He considered turning back but forced himself the last few yards to join her. She glanced at him with a shy smile before turning her face back to the stars. They both started to speak and Belle laughed. "Lady's first."

She shook her head. "A lady pirate, maybe." She sighed. "I hated Nate at the end. Even for a few weeks after I left the vault. I was so angry I went back twice to yell at his corpse." She hugged her arms around herself. "I was supposed to see a lawyer that day to get a divorce. I don't know what I'm going to do when I find Shaun. Hey kid, your dad is a fucking dead asshole but I'm the closest thing you got to a mother. But I'm not even sure I want you."

She stared stoically at the sky while he processed what she said. "Well, it sounds like your husband got what was coming to him." Her shoulders relaxed a hair. "I don't know what to say about Shaun though."

She looked at him, red lip caught distractingly between her teeth. "I'm hoping when I find him that he's happy and with a family. I can take a quick peek and leave. It felt like a moment from when I went back under and woke up. But for all I know it's been a decade or more." She shook her head. "Either way, the kid won't pay for his dad's behavior. That's not his fault."

Danse tentatively reached out to put an arm around her shoulders. She leaned in to him like a fiery wave that left the rest of him aching and cold. "I think it's a good plan, soldier."

She rested her head on his shoulder, her hair smelled sweet like the hubsflowers she gathered by the basket. "Now for it to come true."


	6. Makeup

Belle groggily wandered outside to start a kettle of water. After last night's heart to heart, it had been hard for her to close her door and even harder to keep her tears silent. She had wanted to go out and rage at the moon like she had in the first few weeks out of the vault. Or throw herself into Danse's arms. But this morning, it seemed the last of the anger had finally departed, leaving her lighter for the first time in centuries. She chuckled at her own thought.

"Good morning." She turned towards his voice and found herself speechless. He was still toweling his hair. Her eyes traced down his arms to broad shoulders, a nice set of abs with a dark happy trail gleaming wet in the sunshine. She jerked her eyes back up. "I borrowed your tub. The jeans fit perfect, you have a good eye."

She nodded mutely as she watched him wander into Red Rocket. The jeans were perfect, perfect trouble. She let out a gusty sigh, followed by a low whistle that brought Dogmeat to her. He flopped down in her lap, tail beating her arm. "It's your job to make sure mama doesn't make any rash decisions today. Okay?" She scratched his ears as he gave her slobbery kisses.

Danse came back out as she finished throwing breakfast together and steeping the tea. He stared at her quizzically. She arched her eyebrows. "What?"

"Your face is different."

Belle's laugh rang through the air. "I didn't realize you didn't know me without the eyes and lips." Danse flushed. "It's fine, Danse. I need to make some more makeup today."

"You make it?" He dug into his plate of breakfast, several vegetables thrown together and steamed until their colors sparkled.

She nodded over her own plate. "Charcoal for the eyeliner with just a drop of water as needed. I just have to crush up the amount I need. The lips are mutfruit and lard. It's been the best substitute I've found for beeswax. And the mutfruit stains well anyway."

"Interesting."

Belle laughed again. "To me anyway. A girl has to have priorities. You're welcome to use my shop. I plan on heading back out tomorrow but I took care of my weapons and such yesterday."

"Sounds like a plan."


	7. Type

Belle slid into the seat across from Piper and took a sip of her drink. "Whatever your question is, ask it already. Your face is going to burst otherwise."

She grinned and took another drink before setting it down to rest her chin on her hands. "Where would a girl go to get a good fuck?"

Belle smirked as Piper choked on her drink and tried to beat the cough from her chest. Piper wheezed and stared across the table with watering eyes. "That wasn't what I was expecting, Blue."

Belle grinned. "I have to keep you on your toes. Seriously though, I am going insane traveling with tall, dark, and handsome. I took him to Red Rocket. He wandered around without a shirt and barefoot. Dogmeat had to scrape me off the floor." Piper was laughing quietly. Belle laid her forehead on the table. "I'm dying and you're laughing at me."

Piper patted Belle's dark hair. "I don't think this will kill you." She smiled at the barely audible obscenity that drifted up toward her. "And to answer your question, it's called a bar."

Belle sat up, only to skulk back into the seat and kicked her feet up on the bench beside Piper. "I'm at a bar. And the only one brave enough to talk to me is you." Belle's eyes sparkled. "Would you be interested in my offer?"

Piper slapped at her and they both laughed. "Just go pick a guy. Don't be so overbearing maybe."

"Ugh. No good then. I'm doomed to sexual frustration." She gave an exaggerated sigh that made Piper roll her eyes.

Piper took a drink. "The blonde by the corner?"

Belle gave a dismissive sniff. "Too scrawny."

"Brunette by the bartender."

Her face soured. "Smells."

"Preston Garvey."

Belle choked on her drink. "Preston?"

Piper grinned. "I bet he would if you asked."

"Ugh, Piper. That's like kissing my brother. He is the sweetest boy I have ever met. Like straight sugar. Of all the girls he should get tangled up with, I am at the bottom of that list."

Piper shrugged. "I think he's cute."

It was Belle's turn to roll her eyes. "He is cute; I'm not arguing that. He's the kind of guy you make love to, I just want to fuck. Making love, gross." She took a long drink like it was going to get the image from her mind.

Piper chuckled. "I think you are just going to suffer until he surrenders to your charm."

"Well, at least I can take the edge off myself. Maybe he'll find his bedroll a little too lonely after a few nights of hearing that." Belle howled with laughter at Piper's shocked face. "Come on, my other sister. Let's drink."


	8. Its General Now

"I'm surprised you let him stay here, Blue." They were walking towards Red Rocket, it's open garage door beckoning Belle home.

She shrugged. "Dogmeat likes him." Belle did her routine check of the interior before heading out back, rifle at the ready.

Danse was aiming down his sights as she came around the corner. He smiled. "A smart soldier is always prepared."

Belle grinned in return. "Now that is a Brotherhood point I can live with."

Dogmeat raced around the corner barking to greet her. She laid her rifle against the bench and dropped to her knees. Dogmeat covered her face in sloppy kisses as she tried to hug him, thumping tail and all. "How's my boy? Were you good? Was Danse good?" Dogmeat gave her a final bark and took off to greet Piper. "Any problems while I was gone?"

"Not a single one, soldier."

"It's General now, soldier boy." Piper interjected.

Danse looked at both women before Belle sighed, tucking an errant curl behind her ear. "It's not as impressive as it sounds." Piper scoffed and Belle glared at her. "Apparently, if you rescue enough people from imminent doom, retake the Castle, and slaughter a rampaging sea monster, Preston will make you General of the Minutemen." Her smile sparked across her face and glittered in her eyes. "It got me a really cool hat."

"Congratulations seem to be in order then. I'm not sure why the Minutemen need a solid base though."

Belle gave him an arched look. "Because, paladin, people need hope and safety. And they aren't finding it gazing up at the Prydwen. Which we have a perfect view of, even before I built the artillery. I'm sure Maxson loves that."

Piper chuckled as Belle left them to put away some items. She sorted through them quickly. Some things would need to be taken apart and sorted later but she had things to do at the moment. She sighed. "When did I decide i wanted to save the world?" She gave everything a once over before shutting the garage door.

"Ready to head out, Danse?"

"You two play nice." Piper cooed, smirking when Belle threw her a dirty look.

"Only if they play nice back, citizen."

Belle rolled her eyes. "Careful, tin can. Are you sure you don't want us to walk you back to Diamond City? It's a lonely walk."

"Don't worry about me, Blue. This little citizen knows the Commonwealth." The women hugged and Piper headed out with a single backward wave.

"What's our mission?"

Belle flicked on her pip-boy. "Super mutants keep harassing a settlement and I have to retrieve some things from a known hive. We head south and east from here. Shouldn't be more than a few days walk." She gazed around Red Rocket. She missed this place but duty called. She leaned down to pet Dogmeat. "You be a good boy. Kill the intruders and drag them behind the fence just like we talked about. Mama will be back in a week or so."

They headed off down the road followed by a wild howl. Belle shook her head smiling. "You're very attached to that dog."

"Astute observation, paladin." She said dryly.

"Did you have one before the War?"

"No. Dogs were expensive." She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "Don't tell me that after leaving you two together for two weeks that you don't think he's the best dog ever."

The barest of smiles hovered at the corners of Danse's lips. "He's terrible at taking orders."

Belle laughed. "Not unlike his human then. Let's loosen the dirt in the road. The sooner we’re gone; the sooner we will be back."

"You take point. Your instincts have yet to lead us wrong."

"And the blue means they won't notice you until you kill them." She slung her rifle off her shoulder as she took them off the road.


	9. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle doesn't like being trapped underground or ferals, and both topics have been haunting her sleep. Danse has a couple of good solutions.

The night had been peaceful until the whimpers started coming from Belle's bedroll. In the quiet darkness, Danse couldn't tell if she was awake. He cast his eyes over their surroundings before kneeling beside her sleeping bag. She was curled in on herself, arms crossed before her face like she was fending off a blow. Tears were streaming from her closed eyes and the whimpers dragged themselves from behind clenched teeth that were bared in a feral snarl. Her skin was cold and clammy under his fingers. Danse shook her gently. "Belle, wake up."

Her eyes shot open but ghosts of memory followed her out. She flinched away from him, naked fear setting like ice on her face. She whimpered again, followed by a soft broken no. Danse rubbed small, soft circles on her shoulder. "It's okay, Belle. It's Danse. Nothing is going to hurt you." She shook her head several times before curling back down on her side and falling back into a fitful slumber.

He let her sleep a little longer than normal before waking her up for the second watch. He would have kept watch all night but she would have been pissed off come morning. He gently shook her shoulder again. "Time to wake up, soldier."

She groaned. "I feel like I've barely slept." She sat up, hair ruffled haphazardly around her face.

Danse handed her a mug of tea. "That's because you didn't. Do you normally have nightmares?"

Her eyes widened a fraction and she took a sip. "Yes. Piper said I've been talking in my sleep. I didn't realize. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He sat down beside her. "A lot of us have them in the Brotherhood. Talking about it helps."

Belle gave a dark chuckle. "You guys sit around for group therapy and talk about your fears?"

"If that's what someone needs. Fear can cause you to take a split second too long, and that can get you or your team killed. A little fear can keep you alive, more than that isn't good for anyone."

She nodded before pursing her lips with a hard breath. "When I was little, my cousin locked me in a root cellar on my grandparent’s farm. It was late autumn, so it was already really cold underground. It took them hours to find me. It was so deep they couldn't hear my screams and my cousin had pulled up the ladder so I couldn't reach the door." Belle wrapped her arms around herself. "I screamed until my throat bled. I tried to dig my way out and just ripped my fingernails off. By the time they found me, my teeth were chattering from shock causing me to bite my tongue. It needed stitches. I twisted my ankle trying to jump to reach the door. I was a mess. It was years before I'd go in a dark room. My sister, Claire, moved our beds together because I would wake the neighborhood screaming in my sleep if I was alone."

She took a shuddering breath while Danse poked the fire into a blaze. She gave him a small smile in gratitude. "I keep dreaming about the Vault, that I'm trapped in the dark and cold with all those bodies. I just wander in endless circles, banging on the walls and screaming. And it wakes them up because they are actually Ferals. It ends when Nate rips my heart out of my chest and eats it." Her glaze is fixed on the fire before giving a mirthless laugh. "Pretty silly, huh?"

Danse shakes his head and wraps an arm around her shoulders. "I don't think so. Vaults are nightmarish to those of us who don't associate them with bad experiences."

Belle leaned into him, the top of her head leaned against his chin, the slight stubble catching her hair. "It's karmic revenge for all the times I went back in there and screamed things at Nate. I just know it."

"You went back in there to scream at him."

"Mmhmm." She chuckled. "Boat fucker was the most commonly occurring one. I'll spare your delicate ears the rest. I blamed him for our shitty marriage, the predicament Shaun is in now and how that affects me. I'm pretty sure I even blamed him for the War."

"And now?"

She shrugged. "I like now better. No housewife duties or appearances to keep up. Most people still suck, but now that's fixable with a bullet in the head." She smiled up at him. "I've met some cool people though, accidental head shots only."

"I'm glad you've missed."

"And it's forced me to become a better shot to continue missing you. Everybody wins." She laughed. "And I finally got a dog."

They sat quietly for a while, watching the flames dance with the shadows. "You should get some sleep, soldier boy. We still have miles to go tomorrow."

"We hadn't seen anything all day and my watch was quiet. We can both get some rest. Especially if you rig up that little turret of yours."

Belle mumbled at her tangled fingers. "I don't want to sleep."

Danse shook his head. "You need it. Falling over of exhaustion won't do you any good. We can zip our bags together. You don't have to sleep alone tonight."

Belle flushed. "I. That's a sweet offer. But um." She flushed harder and grabbed the stick to poke the fire.

Danse raised an eyebrow. "You at a loss for words? I think that's a first."

Belle laughed. "You have me there. I'm sure there's a lady back home in the Brotherhood who would disapprove of your offer."

"No." He dropped his arm from her shoulders to her waist and pulled her down with him. "It's warm enough we don't need both bags." Belle was stiff beside him. "I will need to move that arm though when you're done laying on it."

A small chuckle left Belle. "You are on a roll tonight, Paladin." She edged up and let him move his arm. She rolled to face him. "I haven't slept with anyone since before. Long before. I kick."

Danse smirked as he rolled on to his back and crossed his arms behind his head. Belle swallowed hard watching the muscles flex under his uniform. "I could put on the power armor."

Belle giggled and lightly smacked his chest. "You'd end up stuck and I'd be too busy laughing to help." She leaned up on her elbow, voice soft. "Thank you, Danse. For listening and this." She trailed her fingers along the zipper, staring at him before shaking her head, lip tightly tucked between her teeth. "I'm rolling over, soldier boy. I hope you don't kick."

She got comfortable before he answered her. "Any time, Belle. Sweet dreams."

"You too, Danse, good night." She was glad she had rolled over. He didn't need to know she fell asleep with a silly grin splitting her face.

It didn't take long for her breathing to become soft and even beside him. Danse was wearing a matching silly grin. It was heady how much they trusted each other. He didn't think he had ever been this close to another person, not even Cutler. He wasn't even sure what had prompted him to offer sleeping together. It just felt right. She needed the comfort and it was an easy thing to give. Belle mumbled in her sleep and rolled back over, pressing her body to his side and tossing an arm across his body. One of her legs tangled into his and she gave a sigh with a soft smile hovering on her face. Danse swallowed hard, heady happiness warring with an ache in his groin that would become all too apparent if she shifted her hand a little lower. Danse gazed up at the stars thinking it was going to be a long night.

The sun was high when Belle finally woke up. She couldn't remember the last time she was this comfortable. A half familiar smell filled her nose, leather and polish with a salty hint of man. The kind of smell that made you want to crawl up said man's body and then slowly kiss your way back down. Belle grinned and opened her eyes. They had both shifted again in the night. His arm was under her, her head half pillowed on his chest. She had both legs wrapped around one of his and an arm hugged around his waist. Comfortable didn't even begin to describe the feelings screaming across her brain. It felt like warm spring days that ended with a chill that required homemade hot chocolate and Grandma's cookies, all happy, home and safety. She eased up on her elbow and wasn't surprised when his eyes flashed open. She smiled shyly. "Good morning."

He stretched his back and slide his arm down around her waist to pull her close. "Good morning to you."

Belle chewed her upper lip, fighting the urge to lean more into his embrace to run her cheek along his stubble clad one. "Not too many bruises I hope?" She asked breathlessly.

"Whoever told you that you kick is a liar." Danse chuckled. "Cuddly is a better term."

She flushed and sat up. "Yes. Well. It was nice. And. I think I need to go murder something." She squeaked when he pulled her back to him against his chest. "Danse." They both stilled at the growl that sounded not far from them. "Commonwealth. Trying to kill us. Let me up, soldier boy."

He released her with a chuckle and rolled up to grab his gun as she was taking aim with her pistol. The feral dog snarled at her. "It has been a good morning. You can walk away still and keep it that way." Its growl let off and the dog huffed before trotting away.

"You never cease to amaze me."

Belle grinned. "That's why they made me general." Several miles down the road Belle was wanting to trade her title for the chance to find out what would have happened if that dog hadn't interrupted him. Not that she was going to tell Danse that, not when he kept catching her staring at him with a silly grin still on her face.


	10. Radstorm

Rain is falling and light flashes across the broken, irradiated sky. “Wish you had worn your power armor now?”

Belle mumbled from the back of the shack they had found near the road. “Shut up, tin can.” Danse chuckled and continued to gaze out into the night.

Hours later she stomped to the door of the shack and whined "Please tell me your Geiger is no longer going off and we can go? I disassembled all the junk in here and even reassembled some."

"Sorry, soldier. You are still stuck in there."

"A little rads won't hurt me. I survived cryogenic freezing." She pleaded.

Danse gave her a hard look. "I will tie you up and toss you back in here if you even try it."

The lightning flashed, showing the calculating grin on her face. "If you tie me up, you'll have to take care of me. I fail to see a problem here."

Danse huffed. "We are in the middle of a rad storm. I don't think so. I got your back doesn't mean I will reward dangerous behavior."

Belle pouted. "Says the man who sent me to fight super mutants and ferals with a dog when we met."

He rolled his eyes and thoroughly blocked the doorway with his power armor clad body. "Belle, you can handle being bored any other time."

She stomped back into the shack. "And those other times I'm not sad!"

She flung herself hard enough into the chair the back leg snapped and sent her tumbling to the floor. Danse rushed to check on her but she waved him away and continued to lay on the floor. He spoke to her a few times and she ignored him staring stubbornly at the ceiling, fists clenched at her sides. He shook his head and went back to the door to gaze out. The weather made more sense, and was less capable of killing him, then the woman on the floor.

A while later he heard her curse as she got up. The tumble didn't do any damage but she was too damn old to lay on the ground. She crept up to him before going up on tiptoe to rest her chin on his armored shoulder. "Feeling better, soldier?"

"I'm sorry, Danse. That was out of line. Even for me."

"You've gotten better at that."

"At what?"

"Saying you're sorry. A few months ago you would have threatened to shoot me."

"That can be arranged." Danse laughed softly. After a moment she sighed and leaned into him. "It's so pretty. I wish I could paint it. Claire could have." Belle gave a little sniffle.

"Is that what's wrong?"

Belle sighed again. "Yeah, today would have been her birthday."

"I thought the archivist had given up dates for hoarding junk." He chuckled until he realized she was not laughing with him.

"As much as I try, I still remember important ones. And the alarm clock I took apart had the date on it." Her voice was so soft he almost couldn't hear it over the rain.

He turned to face her and took her hands. "How about we have something to eat and get some rest? This storm will be a while yet. And maybe we can think of somewhere to get you some paint. Surely there is some you can use still."

Belle's eyes brightened. "I know the perfect wall in Red Rocket." They ate some radstag steak and some carrots from her pack while consulting her map. They figured the super duper marts would be the best chances unless they came across a hardware store. She rigged up a tiny laser turret to guard the entrance that ran off a spare fusion core she carried and they settled in for the rest of the night. She curled into his side, head on his shoulder. They had been sleeping like that for a few weeks. After he made the offer to share a bed, he was concerned he wouldn't be able to sleep and wouldn't be alert enough. Instead he discovered he slept deeper then what he ever had. Her weight was now a comfort to him.

He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry you miss your sister, Belle." His hand moved to her waist to pull her tight against him.

She snuggled in and squeezed her arm around him tighter. "It doesn't happen often. But it's like being hit with a truck."

"Maybe next time just tell me, okay? Maybe we can find a way to fit you in my power armor too so you can get the antsy out of your system instead driving yourself crazy if we are stuck with bad weather. You are tiny enough we could make it work."

Belle raised up on her elbow. "Did you just offer to share your power armor with me? Along with the phrase get the antsy out of my system?"

Danse flushed red. "I didn't mean like that. I-"

Belle laughed soft and low, spreading her hand across his chest, toying with his shirt. "If it was an offer of that, I may take you up on it. That is a proven way to help with being sad and antsy you know."

His faced went darker and he stared resolutely at the ceiling. "You are shameless and I wouldn't know."

"Wait. You're a virgin? Oh heavens. I'm sorry, I thought. Oh, I've mucked that up." Belle sat up, flustered and twisting her hands.

Danse tightened his grip on her waist to keep her from running. "I am offended by that accusation." Belle squeaked as his hand lowered to her ass and gave a squeeze. "And even if I was, I have imagined peeling you out of that damn vault suit enough times it wouldn't matter."

Belle blinked owlishly. "Who is the shameless one now?"

Danse grinned. "I'm just admitting I've thought about it. Not that I'm going to act on it. Taking advantage of you being sad is wrong."

She narrowed her eyes. "It doesn't count as taking advantage of me if I'd peel myself out of this damn vault suit for you."

He shook his head. "Not here and not now. I've had plenty of sex within the Brotherhood. You. You are different. I want it to be different. Besides, there other things we should do first like counting your freckles and kissing."

"Okay. That's kind of sweet so I won't badger you." She looked thoughtful before adding "at least for five minutes." She stuck her tongue out at him before snuggling back into him and yawning. "And I'm tired. Night, Danse."

"Night, Belle." Within minutes her soft snore let him know she was sleeping. He ghosted his hand up her side to play with a curl. He was glad she didn't ask why she was different. He wasn't sure he was ready to tell her that she was changing his world for the better. That he loved how things were now, and that he was afraid if they took things further it would change or come crashing down. He had lost a lot of fellow soldiers and hadn’t been close to many of them since Cutler. She wasn’t just another soldier, she was a friend and she was a friend he wasn't sure he'd survive losing. The fact that he wanted more than friendship was a moot point for now.


	11. Chaos

Belle was sifting through the shelves and corpses while Danse stood guard. They had cleared the building quickly but he wasn't going to let his guard down. They came across the escalators again and he gave a disgusted sigh. "I believe these automated staircases were used to convey individuals from one floor to the next. The epitome of laziness."

Belle looked up from fiddling with the locked safe. "Easy to say for the man who has never been forced to go up three normal flights of stairs behind a grandma who is only a little faster than dead. I loved them."

"It's hard to picture you in how it was then."

She gave a chuckle as the lock popped open. "That's probably because the Brotherhood teaches a very different view of the time period." She stuffed tools into their leather pouch and swung open the door. "None of them lived it. Nice. I always knew the owner of this place was hiding shit."

She tossed everything into her boxy pack and gazed around them, stretching the tight vault suit across her curves. "It's weird. This place was always bustling. I came here a couple times a month with my sister to people watch. Hours of free entertainment. We'd make up their life stories based on their clothes, accent, how they interacted with others. Now? A literal graveyard." She shook her head with a wistful sigh. "Too bad they didn't sell anything useful."

Danse didn't even hide his eye roll. "You're taking everything that isn't bolted down, soldier."

Belle smirked. "If I thought I could charm you into carrying it, paladin, there's somethings I'd unbolt."

"Exceeding your carrying capacity, again?" He sighed as he unhooked the bag she had made to fit his power armor. "Give me good stuff this time. Last time you yelled at me for breaking dishes."

She gave a laughing snort. "Now, now, Danse. If you didn't make me pack it, that wouldn't have been an issue."

"If I was packing it, none of this junk would come with us."

She loaded his bag, picking sturdy objects and clothes. "You're lack of vision is disturbing."

"I have vision."

Belle fixed him with a stare she had seen her use on the errant children in Diamond City as she handed him his pack. "You have the Brotherhood's vision."

"There's the Brotherhood and everything else. Nothing in between. It's-."

"Simple, brainwashed order. I know. You've said." She eyed the murky fountain before grinning. She grabbed a grenade from her bag and pulled the pin, chucking it into the water. "I prefer chaos."

Danse made a grab for her and she evaded him. She was fast without her power armor and tiny enough to slip easily from him. She kept her gaze on the fountain and he listened to her countdown. She smiled as the water exploded, freezing in the air. She dashed forward to stand on the edge and reached out to wrap her fingers around the icy fall. She smiled back at him over her shoulder. "That's the problem with order. There's beauty in the spontaneous." She giggled. "And exploding ice, that's just fucking fun."

She hopped down and picked up her pack, settling it on to her shoulders. She grabbed her assault rifle and checked down its sights from habit. She learned the hard way what a bent gun could do. "Let's go, paladin. I have work to do." Danse gazed back one last time at her impromptu ice sculpture. It was pretty but deadly, like her. He shook his head at the thought and followed her out.


	12. First Kiss

"For the love of everything that is fucking holy!"

"Wear your power armor next time. And such language."

Belle hissed at him. "Don't fucking throw fucking grenades at fucking me."

Danse shook his head as he pulled more glass from her back. "I didn't throw it at you, soldier. I'm not responsible for you being next to window. At least your back was turned."

She huffed angrily. "Yeah. I'd be pulling fucking glass out of my fucking face. At least I could do that myself." Danse mumbled something and she turned to stare at him. "What?"

He closed his eyes. "I said you're too pretty for that."

"Oh." She turned forward again and was silent a moment. "You think I'm pretty?"

"Yes."

"Oh." She was quiet as he finished cleaning her wounds. She had managed to come up with some crazy concoction involving herbs steeped in clear alcohol. He poured it across her back, not worrying about being careful since it seemed every inch was wounded in some way. He did feel bad about taking her out with the blast, he shouldn't but he did. If she knew how to do her job, he wouldn't have to worry about her being where she shouldn't be. He shook his head at that line of thought; he wasn't sure if it was at her lack of discipline or at himself for thinking Belle would be a good fit in the brotherhood. She would be good for the Brotherhood, but she'd turn it on its ear so fast they'd spin in circles for years. Her way of doing things had done a fine job of keeping them alive, that couldn't always be said for Brotherhood tactics. "All done."

She shifted to sit up and he went to back out of her space. She grabbed his hand. "You have quick reflexes."

She snorted, cradling his extra shirt across her chest. "I don't clunk around." She looked up at him. Her lips were soft. He thought about them a lot, especially after that day she kissed him on the cheek. She flushed. "You know. Never mind." She ripped her hand from his like fire and slipped her shirt over her head. "I'll take first watch." She stomped out of the lean-to and plunked down by the fire. She pulled out her knives and took to polishing them.

Danse settled in for some sleep. She listened for him to drop off into quiet snores before she peeked in to make sure he was sound asleep. She grabbed a bottle of water and settled into some practice fighting. One thing she had learned in the Commonwealth so far was that if you could follow through with your bluffs people gave way. It would be better if she had something to punch. So far she hadn't seen any punching bags. She laughed at how Danse would react to her carting one of those across the Commonwealth.

"Who taught you to throw a punch?" Danse was leaned against the lean-to's support post.

"Uh." Belle pushed the hair out of her face. "Cogsworth. Well. He suggested it. Archivist librarians didn't exactly get battle training."

Danse shook his head. "Come on, soldier. Let's spar." He stood before her, easy on his feet. "Your fist goes right here into my palm. You're tiny, use that to your advantage. But first you need to learn to hit without breaking your hand." Belle nodded and swung at him hard enough the momentum carried her forward a step. Danse shook his head. "Maybe we should work on your stance first." He stepped in beside her. "Do you mind?" She shook her head, grateful that in the darkness he couldn't see the heat suffusing her cheeks. "You are standing with your feet even with your shoulders. It's easy to off balance that way, stagger them a bit." He placed his hands on her hips. "Keep these loose too. Keeping your body rigid and hard won't help." Belle bit back her laughter. Now was not the time to explain to Danse she had the sense of humor gifted to 13-year-old boys. He walked her through the paces of keeping her body balanced until she got it.

As he was stepping away, he gave a slight chuckle. At her inquiring look he told her. "I knew you were short, but I could almost rest my chin on top of your head. You shouldn't bother with punching people, just sneak up on them and kick their knees out."

Belle threw a punch at him, catching him in the chest. She grinned at the noise he made rubbing the spot. Danse shook his head. She was entirely to smug for her own good. He knocked her feet out from under her and followed her to the ground where he started tickling her. "That is cheap! Not fair!" She gasped between laughs. She was curled around herself trying to grab his hands.

"So is punching people for saying you could use other methods." His laughter joining hers. She howled at a particular bad spot. Belle snaked her hands up and tried to tickle him in return. Danse grabbed her wrists and pinned them to the ground on either side of her head. It brought their bodies close, almost touching. Belle stilled beneath him, emotions flashing across her face as her eyes darkened slightly.

Danse flushed. "Sorry, I'll just." He released her wrists and went to get up. Belle shook her head and launched herself up at him, crashing her lips to his. Danse froze, her body wrapped around his half risen form. He melted into her dropping them down to the ground with her above him, one hand tangling into her hair and the other curling across her back. Belle was an aggressive kisser but he was happy to match her nip for nip, teeth bruising lips when they didn't click together.

Belle was the one to pull away with a giggle. "Which one of these behaviors is insubordination?"

Danse shook his head. "That would mean I disagree with one of them. I'd find your punching me disagreeable but I've been hit far harder."

Belle's eyes narrowed. "Awful brave words for the arrogant man on the bottom of this position."

"I'm not arrogant." Belle laughed. "Oh honey, you are arrogant. Distrustful. Brainwashed." She paused and smiled softly. "And maybe a bit handsome."

Danse went to speak but she snapped a finger across his lips while scanning the camp site. The sound came again but it was slowly coming closer. Belle sighed. "Fucking Ferals." She stood and pulled him up. "We can finish this conversation at Red Rocket and after some sleep." She gave him a cheeky grin before grabbing her gun. "I might even say nicer things." Danse shook his head while watching her pop a round into the feral's skull. He grabbed his weapon and let himself smile. It was going to be an interesting conversation.


	13. A Song and A Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uses the songs He's a Demon, He's a Devil, He's a Doll and Crazy He Calls Me.

"Are you drunk, soldier?"

Belle took another swig from her bottle, gaze a little hazy. "I'm fucking working on it. Wanna join me?"

"I'll pass." She pouted. Her lips were red, eyes lined in black like those pin up girls they found in the prewar magazines. Her hair was tumbled around her shoulders in soft auburn waves. Her vault suit was partially undone and he watched an errant drop of whiskey trail its way down her chest until it disappeared into the shadowed curves behind the zipper. She giggled. "I maybe a little drunk. Sturges made me leave Sanctuary after I told him my latest plan."

He arched an eyebrow. "And that is?"

"I'm gonna bang the fucking commonwealth. Starting with the finest tin can I've seen." She giggled again before pointing pistol fingers at him. "Bang bang." Her giggle turned into a full laugh that had her swaying on her feet. Danse stood and caught her before she hit the floor. Her hands gripped his shoulders as she giggled into his chest. "Nice."

"That wasn't your most graceful moment."

Her body shivered with her laugh. "No. The guns." He looked down at her rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes. "You have nice fucking guns."

He shook his head and helped her into her room. Danse set her on her bed and pried the bottleneck from her white knuckled grip. "You need to sleep this off, soldier."

She pouted as he left her room and closed the door. She sighed wistfully. "Maybe he likes men more. It is a Brotherhood." She laid back on the bed, kicking her boot clad feet up on the foot rail to keep the sheets clean. She giggled. "Can't stop a girl from dreaming." Hands that used to be soft and smooth ran down her body as she closed her eyes. She trailed her fingers slowly back up to the zipper and slowly eased it down. The cool night air felt good along her whiskey burned skin. Tonight was not a night for going slowly and learning this new body she was finding. Her fingers dipped into her and Belle sighed.

Danse slept until well after dawn within the relative safety of Belle's Red Rocket station. Sleep slowly left his head, tendrils of foggy dreams trying to cling in his brain. It was soft at first, an easy to dismiss background noise until sleep finally left him. Was someone singing? "That man can look me in the eye and tell the biggest, sweetest lie" Danse eased up from the bed and grabbed one of the pistols from the table where he and Belle had cleaned them the night before. "And I forget that lipstick on his tie. He's a demon, he's a devil, he's a doll." The voice was definitely female, a siren's call. He checked the garage, which was closed up and full of their power armor. Belle's was half dismantled on the rack, making him shake his head. The parking lot out front was clear as well. "He's a palooka, he's a brute. He drives me crazy but he's cute."

Danse wandered around back where the voice was loudest. He smiled when he saw who it was. Belle was elbow deep in a bucket scrubbing clothes clean with the stack of last night’s dishes waiting to go in the water next. Her voice warbled with laughter. "Why do I love a guy I ought to shoot? He's a demon, he's a devil, he is a doll." She splashed some water at Dogmeat who was sprawled in the sun beside her. At his tongue lolling head shake she answered him. "It's true, Dogmeat. I was married to a tool. A pretty tool." She sighed scrubbing a particular stubborn spot. "Tool is too damn nice a word, that would have meant he was good for fucking something. He was a pretty fucking weasel."

"I take it weasel isn't a compliment."

Belle grinned over her shoulder at him. "Morning, tin can." She tossed the final clean piece into the basket beside her before hauling to the fire. She set it up on an overturned pot and then poured boiling water over the clothes to rinse them. She left them to cool and placed the dishes in the still soapy water.

"You're no worse for wear." Danse sat beside Dogmeat and ruffled his fur.

She scrubbed the plates. "Nah. I don't hold much liquor so it doesn't take long to wear off. Never had a hangover." She placed the clean dishes into their basket to get rinsed. "I can't say the same for my ego, it's a little bruised."

She stuck her tongue out at him. He took the basket of dishes from her and poured the hot water over them. He didn't understand her obsession with things being clean but he did appreciate it. She hung up the clothes on to her make shift line before stepping back, hands on denim clad hips to admire her work. She grinned at him. "It's amazing how much more money you get for them when they are clean. They think I drug them out of some fucking pristine vault and really I just know soap."

"Your language could use some soap."

Belle chuckled. "That one was good." She shook her head. "Mind if we stayed holed up for a few days? Red Rocket needs some work, I need a break from Preston and the Minutemen, and I need some time with the world's best puppy." She bent down to bury her hands in Dogmeat's fur and was rewarded with sloppy kisses. Belle had a beautiful smile complete with the cutest dimples he had ever seen.

Danse shook his head away from those thoughts. "No. A reprieve from the road would be nice."

She held a hand to her heart in mock horror. "You mean you get tired of following me all over the Commonwealth?"

Danse laughed. "Anything you want me to help with?"

She chewed her upper lip with a tilt of her head. "Are you any good with a hammer?"

By evening the two of them had built four garden beds, filled them with dirt and plants, and built two bookshelves. Belle sat heavily on the ground and grinned at Danse as he joined her. She had a stripe of red paint above her eyebrow from painting the bookcases and Danse resisted the urge to wipe it off. "Not a bad day, right? I don't plan on working this fucking hard tomorrow. I need to work on the defenses a bit more. There are some open spots."

"You should apply that to your fighting technique."

Belle blew a raspberry at him. "That's why I have you." She smirked. "Although I do ask you keep your shirt on if we are in a fight. That is distracting." Belle's grin faded when he didn't respond. "Hey." She nudged him with her elbow. "If you want me to stop, just say so. I can take it."

Danse's neck popped he looked at her so fast. "No, that's not." He stopped flustered and rubbing the now tender spot. "I don't know how. I don't get close to people."

"After Cutler." She nodded. "Well, then I'll continue flirting with you until you tell me to stop. Think of it as fun, not an ultimatum. I'm not big on those anyway. Anymore kisses are entirely left to you."

Belle got up and grabbed a basket as the sun began to set. The blazing orange of the sky brought out the red in her hair, surrounding her head in dark flames. Dogmeat wound himself around her legs. She dropped a hand to scratch his ears. "Want another song, silly boy?" She started taking the clothes down and he missed the first few lines before her voice gained power. "Like the wind that shakes the bough He moves me with a smile."

She gave one garment a disgusted toss at the back of the station for use as a rag later. "The difficult I’ll do right now. The impossible will take a little while." Belle took the clothes in to her table so she could sort them by vendor later. She leaned into the wooden edge, feeling the grain against her palms. She broke her song and gave a soft laugh. "Damn it, Piper. I do not have a type."

"Crazy, he calls me. Sure I’m crazy, crazy in love am I." With trembling hands, she grabbed a couple tatos and some dried radstag from the food cabinet. She was humming when she came back out to the fire and the evening was darker then light. She cut everything up and tossed it in the boiling water. Dogmeat laid his head in her lap and she smiled down at him. She took up crooning again. "I say I’ll care forever and I mean forever. If I have to hold up the sky. Crazy, he calls me. Sure I’m crazy, crazy in love am I." She scratched his ears. "Sweet boy."

"You have an amazing voice." Danse settled in giving dinner a stir.

She gave him a soft, tentative smile that she quickly hid behind her hair with its accompanying blush. "Thank you." After a few moments she snickered. "A Song and A Dance, you and I."


	14. Sewing Sisters

Belle looked up from her work to find Danse leaning against the doorway, staring with that half smile of his. "Penny for your thoughts?"

As she continued to work while watching him. He crossed his arms and nodded at her work. "Why do you even do that? We could scavenge you a million outfits. In fact, I am pretty sure we have. You made me carry them."

Belle gave a soft laugh. "Because I sell most of those outfits." She bit the thread with her teeth after tying her knot. "Before the war," she continued, pitching her voice like an old granny making him shake his head. "My family growing up was poor. Dirt poor. I had 3 outfits and one set of nice clothes for fancy events. We could only afford new clothes once a year, and mine were all hand me downs from my sister anyway. It was keep them repaired and in good shape or face my mother's ire and be picked on at school." She flipped the shirt right side out to check her handiwork. "Besides, you know how hard it is for me to find something that fits. This is just easier."

By that point he was sitting across the table from her and took her hands in his. "And maybe it's a little normal."

She gripped his hands tight before sighing. "Yes. In some ways. It helps me remember. One day I'm afraid I will wake up and not remember Claire's face. Mom and Dad are kind of blurs but they died long before the war. Claire and I just had each other, best friends as well as sisters. A few weeks after I found out about Shaun I went to her place and we made each other new dresses. We were going to have a night on the town and forget our cares. And then the bombs fell."

They sat quietly as tears slid silently down her face. Danse squeezed her hands tight before asking "Do you know what happened to her?"

Belle gave a brittle laugh before shaking off his hands to wipe her tears away. "I could never look in her house. We lived two houses apart in Sanctuary. Part of me wants to hope she died quick and painlessly. Or that she survived and met the love of her life and died of old age out here."

"What if I went with you?"

Belle finally looked up at him. "You would do that?" "You would do it for me. You have already in a way." He enclosed her hands in his again. "It's what, a 500 yard walk? I may even do it without my power armor." He waggled his eyebrows.

Belle snorted while rolling her eyes. "Fine. But only if you let me patch your jeans."

Sanctuary was quiet. Sturges nodded them through the security she had built but the others were resting peacefully. Belle traced the numbers on her old mailbox. "I don't know if I'm ready."

Danse took her other hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'm right here."

She gave a tight lipped nod before leading him to Claire's doorway. She stood on the threshold. "I asked them to not touch this house. Everything else was fair game. What if we find her?" Her voice shook.

Danse wrapped his arms around her from behind and she leaned into his embrace. "I can carry you back to the station if you need me to."

Belle shook her head. "Let's go in." The living room walls were still the faded purple Claire had loved and used in the whole house. Belle closed her eyes and let memory take her. She could almost feel the couch under her hand where she always used to run along it. She could smell the roses that dotted every table in the house and the coffee that was always running on the stove. Claire’s house didn’t have the mechanical whir of a Mr. Handy, she liked to do things herself. White curtains fluttered around the windows on nice days. She could almost hear Claire's laugh.

"There isn't much here." Danse said scoping the place, gun at the ready even though the worst that could be lurking were radroaches. "Maybe we should have brought Dogmeat. He can find everything."

Belle shook her head. "Claire would have been in bed still when the bombs fell. She worked the night shift as a nurse. She'd be in the bedroom." The hallway felt miles long while being too short. Belle stood in the doorway of her sister's room, unsure if she felt relief or rage that it was empty. Danse wisely decided to stay silent as she ran her hand over the broken footboard and along the top of the dresser. The drawers were empty as well as the closet. She gave the bathroom a cursory glance before heading into what had been Claire's office. Amazingly her desk was still standing. Belle gave a throaty chuckle. "I told her this thing could survive anything when we moved it in here."

At Danse's expression she continued. "She kept saying I was going to break it because I can’t see doorways that jump out to get me." He gave a silent nod and leaned back against the remainder of the wall. Belle took the chain from around her neck and opened the drawers on desk. The top drawers were disintegrated bank statements and bills. The second one contained a couple books, a broken album with the pictures faded to obscurity, and a journal. Belle cracked the book open and coughed at the dust it bellowed forth. "She wrote every day. Said it helped her cope. I wonder." She flipped to the last few entries. "This is from the day before the bombs, the day we made the dresses. You don't want to know her opinion of Nate. Geez, sis." She smiled as she skimmed through the entry and turned the page expecting emptiness. She froze.

"What's it say, Belle?"

She cleared her throat and started reading. "The bombs fell today. So much screaming and death. I don't know why I'm not dead. There is another survivor, the vault tech rep of all people. I haven't let him know I'm here. He's not okay. He keeps screaming about being lied to and how Vault Tec screwed him. I hope Belle made it. I hope Shaun did too, he doesn't deserve to explode with his father. What do I do now?"

She flipped several blank pages. "Belle, if you are alive in that cave and somehow find this. I saw them take Shaun. It's been years, a century even, maybe more. I lost track. Don't be pissed, archivist. It's been rough going. But it was Shaun. I'd recognize that scream anywhere. I'm leaving to follow them, they locked the vault back up. I tried to get to you. But I'm not dead. Maybe we will find each other again. Sisters, always. Friends, forever." She closed the book and held it tightly to her chest. The look she turned on Danse beat his heart into the ground. "She lived. She could be out there somewhere. She couldn't sneak up on a brick." She began to sob. "Oh god, what if they killed her? Trying to save that asshole's son?"

Her sobs shook her body and Danse kneeled on the floor beside her, taking her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him, the book lodged in between, and cried harder. His brain said she cried forever, but his stiff knee reminded him it wasn't long at all. "Say something?"

He kissed the top of her head. "You do know she is a ghoul, right?"

Her gaze turned from water to fire and she spluttered out "And what exactly is your point with that? Don't apply that bullshit to my sister."

Danse kept his voice low. "That's not what I meant, Belle. I was failing at making sure you weren't expecting the exact same person. She could be different."

She sniffed. "Point taken. Sorry."

Danse stood and pulled her to her feet. "It's your job to take point in our relationship, remember? You point, I go. Danse gave her a smile that lit up his eyes and her heart. With him along, she knew she would be okay, no matter what answers she found.


	15. It's About Damn Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut. And singing together and dancing. Rude interruptions. This is just one piece of sugar fluff after another.
> 
> Songs: Baby It's Just You and I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire. Honorable mention to Atom Bomb Baby which will cause me to gouge my eardrums if I hear it again. My game loves playing it, over and over.

Danse had dragged off the bodies from the latest Super Mutant attack on Red Rocket. The turrets had obliterated them before they had made it outside, Belle's hair flying wild as he jerked his eyes up from her shapely legs left naked by the long button up shirt she slept in. She had the radio on while she sorted her junk, voice crooning out along the old gas pumps she left up for aesthetics’ sake she claimed. "You leave me breathless, weak in the knees. I'm feeling reckless, pardon me please. The fallout's blowing through, but, baby, it's just you."

He waltzed through the open door. "Doesn't that woman sing that in Goodneighbor?"

Belle glanced up, smiling. "Magnolia. And yes. I could listen to her all day."

"I'd rather listen to you." She flushed and went back to her work, humming along, her dimples shining in the morning light. Danse wandered into the shop and set to work on his weapons. All her junk hoarding meant he could have his weapons in any which way he desired and constantly fully functioning.

Belle finished quicker then she had planned, lunch still a time away. She ruffled Dogmeat's ears. "What do you think, sweet boy? Should mama go irritate the tin can?" He thumped his tail and ran outside to lounge in his doghouse. She left the radio still going, even though they were playing Atom Bomb Baby for the hundredth time today. She wandered to the shop door and leaned against it. Danse had finished with his weapons and had taken up some simple training exercises. Muscles tugged at the confines of his t-shirt and sweat dripped down his face. He felt her presence and looked up. She chuckled. "Please, don't stop on my account. I'm enjoying the show."

Her legs were damn distracting with nothing on them, the hem of her shirt both teasing and denying. He shook his head, finished one last push up and popped up from the floor. He pulled his shirt up and over his head, dragging her eyes up with the hemline. He mopped off his face. "Still enjoying?"

Belle's attempt at a nonchalant scoff came out of a squeak. She flushed. "And here I thought it was my job to be the tease."

"I enjoy watching you blush."

The radio drifted in filling the quiet as they eyed each other. "I don’t want to set the world on fire. I just want to start a flame in your heart." Danse reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her into his arms. Their clasped hands he brought to shoulder level before settling his other hand on her hip. Belle chewed her lower lip before trailing her hand up his bare arm to his shoulder. He spun them in circles to the music. "You'll have to forgive me for not knowing any fancy moves."

She smiled up at him. "This works for me."

He leaned down to whisper along with the song in her ear. "Darlin' I have only one desire and that one desire is you and I know nobody else ain't gonna do."

She gave a slight giggle before adding her voice to the song, twining her voice around his. "I’ve lost all ambition for worldly acclaim I just want to be the one you love. And with your admission that you feel the same I'll have reached the goal I’m dreaming of."

He stilled them as the song ended, ghosting his lips across hers until she wrapped her arms around his neck with an impatient huff. He smiled as their lips explored. Belle was on her tip toes and wasn't close enough. She debated standing on his feet for an extra inch. Instead she grabbed his shoulders and hopped, wrapping her legs around his waist. Danse dropped his hands to her ass, mixing support with feeling her body. Belle trailed cold lipped kisses across his still warm jawline and down his throat. Danse half stumbled them into the wall and she leaned back against arching her lower body into him. Danse's fingers trailed up under her shirt leaving tickling goosebumps across her flesh. Their lips crashed together again, need making kisses sloppy with sharp nips of teeth. Danse leaned his forehead to hers. "I want you."

Belle gave a throaty chuckle. "It's about damn time."

Chuckling himself, Danse carried them into her room and laid her on the bed. He kissed her hard and deep, smiling when it left her breathless. He kissed down her neck and chest until he met resistance from the still buttoned shirt. His fingers snaked up her soft legs before hooking into her underwear and dragging them back down. He tossed them behind him and Belle giggled up at him from behind her hand. She hadn't expected to have so much passion aimed at her. His dark eyes glowed like whiskey before a fire. He left her shirt buttoned and knelt between her knees, placing a soft kiss on one as he slowly spread her legs and then kisses his way up her thigh. Belle made a strangled sound. "Danse?"

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No." She squeaked. "I've never. No one’s done that. To me. I."

Danse leaned up and kissed her. "Their loss. I plan on kissing every inch of you before the day is done."

"Oh." He kissed her one more time before dropping back to his intended goal. He ran his thumb along her already glistening sex before following it with his tongue.

Belle arched off the bed, gasping when his probing tongue found her clit. Danse chuckled at her garbled words and snaked a hand up her shirt to caress a taut nipple. Belle moaned, fingers digging into the bed. Danse hooked an arm around her hip, trying to hold her still. "Fuck, Danse." He gave her another lick before sucking on her swollen nub. Belle was so close, fire screaming through her veins.

"General? I have some messages."

Belle threw an arm over her mouth before swearing viciously. "Just leave it on the table!"

"Colonel wants a response, ma'am."

Danse sucked harder as she bit down on her arm, trying to stifle the sounds he was dragging from her. "Just a minute." She half panted. She balled the pillow over her mouth as she crashed over the edge, her body stilling before shuddering violently. Danse licked at her slowly one more time, quietly chuckling at the gasping squeak that left her. She leaned up to meet his lips. "Let me up, you horrible wonderful man."

She scrambled out bed and huffed at the mirror she had hung up. She shook her head, half fucked hair and hickies be damned. She sauntered out to her counter. "Hello, Jackson."

The young man blinked several times. "Good morning, ma'am."

She ran her gaze across the dozen missives. Four were settlements pledging themselves to the Minutemen, whom she would have to go visit in the next several weeks. Another 3 were settlements in need, Preston's tidy scrawl across the bottom that he had already sent people out and was awaiting their news. Four more were letters of thanks from settlements and the final letter was sealed. She ripped it open and frowned at the writing. She had had Preston put out word that the General was looking for a missing sister, who was more than likely a ghoul. No leads within their settlements so far but someone recommend she speak to Mayor Hancock in Goodneighbor.

"Tell Colonel Garvey I will look into this matter personally. And to radio in when he hears from Ten Pines, they don't get mutants that far north usually. If we can burn a hive before it gets bad, then that's what we will do."

The young man nodded and gathered his bag. "Need anything to go to Sanctuary?"

She chuckled. "It's right up the road. I'd walk it myself. But thank you. Be safe on the road."

"Ma'am?" She arched an eyebrow at him as he swallowed nervously. "That's a good look for you, General." He scampered out before Belle could say anything. She stacked the reports, chuckling.

Dogmeat barked from the door. "Some guard dog you are. You could have warned us he was coming." He gave her a doggy grin, thumping the door with his tail, before trotting back outside. Belle shook her head and sauntered back into her room. Her eyes traveled up the very naked man lounging her bed. She licked her lips at the sight of his hand wrapped around his stiff cock and she drug her eyes up to his smirking ones. "Well, general?" He drawled the word out.

Belle chuckled and crawled over the foot rail, kneeling between his legs. "I think it's time I return the favor, paladin."


	16. Clarke and his Ghouls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle and Danse butt heads over Brotherhood beliefs.

Belle leaned against the wall when they exited the old airport. "I should go back. I can't believe I told him to turn himself in."

"It's the right thing for him to do, Knight."

"According to Brotherhood ethics!" She exploded off the wall and began to pace. "I should have told him I'd lie. Let him continue with his feral pets. It's not like he was hurting anyone."

"Then why didn't you?"

She turned on him. The fury storming beneath her lashes began to escape its brim, leaving stinging salt trails down her cheeks. "Damn it, Danse. He's just a fucking kid. He had a friend who was a ghoul, which I have met plenty of nice ones that are more human than the fucking humans. My own sister is a ghoul, wherever she is. I understand how he has a trouble seeing the line between the ones that retain themselves and the ones that are irrevocably lost. They are victims of the War and are victims of Maxson. Who is no more than a child himself. Both of them need to be evaluated and treated for whatever you call battle fatigue these days."

Danse glowered. "You're questioning Elder Maxson's sanity?"

"Yes!" She shouted at the sky. "I question all of him. He's what? 20? And playing with death like it’s a game he can't lose. Like people, innocent fucking people, won't be caught in the cross fire of his war. He is an ideological maniac."

"Someone has to protect people from themselves." Danse's voice rising with the color in his face.

"From the Big Bad Institute or from not complying to Brotherhood dictatorship? The Minutemen protect people, Danse. The only thing I've seen the Brotherhood do is take out hives that happen to lurk around some kind of technology or hospitals. They don't share what is within. They don't share anything. They don't try to make lives better for anyone who isn't in the ranks. And then they don't take care of those if they don't comply!"

The young initiate carefully opened the door. "Knight Belle?"

Belle sighed as Danse stepped away to gaze into the water, thoughts darkening his face. "Clarke."

The young man wrung his hands. "Turning myself in is the right thing. I may not be a good fit for the Brotherhood and it's better to know that now."

Belle nodded. "What will happen?"

He shuffled his feet. "I don't know, ma'am."

She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "If you need some place to go, contact the Minutemen. We always have room for people wanting to do right in the world." She gave a gentle squeeze and smiled as relief crossed the kid's features.

Clarke stood straighter and nodded. "I have a report to make, Knight Belle. Thank you. Paladin Danse."

Belle watched the young man pick his way back into the terminal, the fury calming from her system. "Maybe you're right, Danse. Maybe I did do the right thing."

Danse shook his head watching her body soften. "And maybe I'm wrong on some things, General."' He stepped out of his power armor and wrapped his arms around her. "I expected you to take everything the Brotherhood was and not argue it. You didn't know anything about us and it was unfair of me."

She leaned back into him. "Regret asking me to join then?"

He was silent for several heartbeats before he answered slowly. "Of all the things I could regret, you are not one of them." She nodded silently, wrapping her arms across his as they stared over the water.

She sighed heavily. “It’s time for me and Nick to hunt down Kellogg. The sooner we end this mess the better.”


	17. Kellogg and Fuckery

Belle stumbled into Red Rocket, weary and wounded. Danse shot up from his chair and steadied her. "You look worse for wear."

"I feel worse than I look." She chuckled. She dropped her bag by the shop door. "Valentine headed back to Diamond City and I'm supposed to meet Piper there in a week."

"You didn't find Shaun."

She shook her head. "No. The Institute has him."

"Is that what Kellogg said?" He eased her into the chair and grabbed a bottle of water for her. Dogmeat came over to inspect her damages and woofed with delight when she scratched his ears.

"Yes. And even if that wasn't what he said, that mercenary motherfucker was more parts then blood and guarded by synths. I'm glad I took the power armor. Or you’d be scraping me off bunker floor." She hissed as the water coursed past the cuts on her lips. "It's out front by the way, with the rest of my bags. I couldn't drag it anymore."

Danse kissed her bruised and bloodied forehead. "I'll bring them in."

Danse arranged everything in the shop in some semblance to her ordered chaos while Belle peeled off her travel and fight soaked clothes. She hobbled out to the fire, naked as the day she was born and set a pot of water in the fire. Danse didn't even blink when he came out to her covered only in shadow and flame. She glanced up at him. "I don't have it in me to haul the water but I feel fucking gross."

He chuckled. "I'll get you the bigger bucket too. Half full of cold?"

"You know me so well." She smiled. It didn't take long for the water to heat enough for her and she quickly scrubbed down, hissing when water hit the scrapes and cuts marring her flesh. She sighed at her hair before grabbing the campfire knife. She flipped her head over and gathered it together before hacking it off in a jagged line. She tossed the cut strands into the fire and washed the rest. She stood and wrestled the big pot over head, rinsing away the few suds the soap made. Danse tossed her a blanket and she set to drying herself off.

"How did it go otherwise?"

She chuckled. "As well things go with me. He had the nerve to be all there is only one way this can end are you ready?"

"And what did you say?" Danse asked checking over her weapons.

"In 100 years when I die, I hope I go to hell so I can kill you all over again, you piece of shit." She grinned as Danse shook his head.

"Such language." And then he started to laugh. He set down the gun and Belle walked into his open arms. He pulled her close. "I was worried when Dogmeat showed up without you."

She nuzzled her head under his chin. "I should have sent word. He was at Fort Hagan. Hell, I should have asked you to come join us. I thought for a moment that Nick and I weren't going to make it back out."

"What changed the tide?"

She snorted. "Deteriorated structural integrity and overzealous pitching of grenades."

He kissed her hair. "What now, General?"

She sighed. "A week of sleep. Piper has some leads to look into and we will work on finding a way into the Institute."

"That would be valuable to the Brotherhood."

"I might be Maxson's new best friend yet. I'm not going in there without some serious firepower behind me. But not until I know more."

He nodded and felt her lean heavily against him. "Let's get you to bed."

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he picked her up. "Only if you join me. It's been centuries." She laughed before she traced her tongue down his throat and yawned.

"You're tired." Danse shook his head, smiling.

"I am never too tired for sex. Just too tired for me on top sex." He made to protest more and she put a finger to his lips as they stepped into their room. "Blah blah blah. There are much better things you can do with that wonderful tongue when I'm naked." Their laughs were quickly followed by moans in the night.


	18. Hardware Town

"I'm surprised this place hasn't been striped clean."

"Me too. But raiders are not known for being smart." She rummaged through the crates. "Steel, steel, steel. You might get lucky and not have to carry your body weight."

"What are you looking for?"

"Oil, circuitry, adhesive. I'm not convinced that Ten Pines isn't taking a sledgehammer to their turrets every couple weeks and they are running down my supplies." She eyes the shelves. "I wonder."

She wandered back up towards the cash registers and climbed the ladder. "They made a path up here. I wonder what they hid."

Danse looked up at her jubilant grin. "You're going to get yourself killed."

She waved him off. "I expect you to resuscitate me then. Mouth to mouth is a wonderful thing." Danse chuckled and picked a crate to sort through instead of watching her take heart wrenching leaps.

"Worth it! I found all sorts of shit." She rummaged through chems before tossing them into a bag. "Straight to Solomon. Any other goodies?" She emptied a caps stash into her bag with a grin. She leaned over the edge of the shelves. "Watch out for the bags."

Belle dropped the bags carefully over the edge into Danse's hands and he set them on the ground. After dropping the last one she toed the edge of the shelf a mischievous smirk dimpling her face. "Hey, handsome."

Danse chuckled. "I'll catch you." Belle squeaked in happiness and stepped into the air, falling into his arms with a whoosh. Danse kissed her before setting her down. "You're lucky you're beautiful."

Belle giggled as she grabbed her bags. "Now to grab the green paint and we can go." She looked back at him with a wink. "Maybe you can prove how beautiful you think I am. I'm not sure I believe your sincerity, paladin."

Danse surprised her by stepping out his power armor, giving him the chance to snatch her to him, bags and all. He kissed her hard through her giggles. Eyes flashing and cheeks red she grinned up at him. "You're lucky I like kissing you."

He matched her grin. "I plan on doing far more than just kissing you."


	19. Building

"You could make me a second printing press while you are at it."

Belle paused her work and looked at her. "Do you need one?"

Piper toed the dusty floor of the garage. "It wouldn't hurt. Ours is on the verge of no longer being repairable."

Belle contemplated her workspace. "I could do it, I think. A better one. Hmm. Moveable type, of course. With a wheel to run multiple pages through? But ink." Her voice trailed off and she abandoned the laser turret to throw herself into drafting out several rejected ideas.

Several hours later, Belle shook Piper's shoulder. She grinned, hair tucked behind her ear using a pencil. "I got it!" She dangled the plan in Piper's face and continued chattering. "I’ll have to get parts, of course. But I can have it up and going in a month!"

Piper grinned. "I think I love you, Blue."

Belle laughed. "You may not say that after we go parts hunting."

It took the better part of a month of hauling typewriters and other junk to Red Rocket but Belle finished it in a month as promised. Piper bounced up and down. "It's amazing, Blue!" She threw her arms around her. "Worth the parts hunting and soldier boy's scowling."

Belle chuckled. "He may not scowl so much. All the spare parts meant he's getting something too."

Printing press momentarily forgotten, Piper took up what Belle had taken to calling her reporter stance. "What is it?"

Belle toed the floor, crossing her arms before grinning sheepishly. "A fully customized mini gun. I made it lighter, sped up the warm up time, and enabled it for quick eject to speed up reloading."

"Useful for the man bent on cleansing the Commonwealth."

Belle grinned. "I also painted it black and named it Night, which is engraved on both sides with a few bells."

Piper rubbed her forehead. "Because it's from Knight Belle."

"You of all people should appreciate that." Belle pouted.

Piper chuckled. "Did you name the printing press too?"

Belle's eyes danced merrily. "I engraved it across the front."

Piper bent to read the inscription so quickly she smacked her head on the wheel. She rubbed it as she began to laugh. There in bold script, between two Liberty Bells, was The Wright Writer.


	20. Teleporting Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to Build the Teleporter! Belle talks about how she could have been the bad guy. I have an entire alternate timeline plotted out where she is the raider queen of the Commmonwealth. Its fantastic, but wouldn't work so well with Danse. Dogmeat might not care though.

"Hey, Sturges! Mama Murphy." Mama Murphy appeared to be dozing but Belle knew better at this point. She had seen the older woman go from apparent rest to homicidal in defense of Sanctuary all from her chair in the blink of an eye.

"General. Not here to blow anything else up?" Belle shook her head, laughing. "Good. You can't fix concrete with duct tape."

"I thought you said you could fix everything with duct tape?"

"Except bullet holes and anything involving you." He leaned against the house.

Belle sighed. "What? Do you have radar that tells you when it's not a normal visit?" Sturges continued to stare at her. "Preston called it in didn't he?" He nodded and smiled as her face wrinkled. "And here I wanted a surprise for all the trouble I caused." She waved him over to the table and pulled the plans from her bag, spreading them across it. "I need a teleporter."

Sturges' hands skimmed over pages. "You found a way in to the Institute."

"Told you."

He tapped his fingers on them. "Between the two of us we can get this built in no time, especially with your collection of junk." He paused a moment, rubbing his chin. "A favor for a favor?"

Belle arched an eyebrow. "What? Is general not good enough for you people?"

He offered her a holotape. "Take this and hook it to their mainframe. Get everything you can off of it and bring it back to me."

Belle grinned and pocketed it. "Sturges, you should have known you didn't have to ask."

"Knight Belle, a moment?" Danse spoke for the first time since they arrived at Sanctuary. Belle nodded as Sturges began work. They wandered towards the still abandoned part of town. Belle had a sparkle in her eye and a skip in her step. She kept her attention trained on him but he could feel her yearning to get back to her work. "Why didn't you ask the Brotherhood to help?"

She sighed. "I did." She rolled her shoulders and met his eyes. "After taking on Kellogg and that courser to get the chip? I am scared shitless of going in there." Danse blinked at her frank honesty. She continued, hand rustling through her hair. "Maxson didn't like my source, didn't like that I wouldn't give him up. He wouldn't trust me. So I came here."

Danse crossed his arms. "Just who was your source?"

She kicked a rock. "A scientist who escaped the Institute. Who is a super mutant. Who claims he can cure his strain of mutation. I agreed to get the serum while I'm inside."

"Did you tell Maxson that?"

"No." She laughed a little. "I don't trust him."

"But you trust me."

Belle arched an eyebrow. "The kissing didn't give that away?" She wrapped herself in a hug, hands chafing her arms against a cold only she could feel. "Danse, if I don't come back."

"General!"

She sighed and hung her head. "Duty calls. A kiss?" He leaned down and kissed her softly, noting the odd desperation in the way she clung to him. She let go quickly and trotted off to help Sturges.

Mama Murphy joined him on his rounds of Sanctuary's defenses. "She's worried she won't come back." Danse nodded. Mama Murphy shook her head. "You don't need the Sight to know she will. Nothing stops her once she puts her mind to it."

Danse chuckled. "That doesn't stop her from worrying."

"I saw her. I knew she was the one that was going to save us. But I also saw another future for her. The Sight shows different futures and sometimes the past." Her eyes were distant. "Her past made her broken, she could have broken us with her. She could break you, not Nate."

Danse stared at the old woman before gently guiding her to a chair. "Mama Murphy, you promised Belle no more chems."

"The Sight doesn't always need them. She has demons, Danse. What kind of peace has she made with them?" She shook her head. "I need a nap."

Belle and Danse settled into Claire's old house for the night. Red Rocket would have been more comfortable but Belle didn't want to leave Sanctuary a sitting duck with the half competed teleporter just begging for the Institute to attack them with her gone. Danse shifted on his chair. "I talked to Mama Murphy today."

Belle laughed from her sprawl across the couch. "That is always an experience." At the look on his face she sighed. "Please tell me someone isn't giving her chems."

"No. That's not it. We talked about you."

Her hands froze before rolling the empty glass in her fingers. "And?"

He sighed. "What did she mean by your past broke you? That you have demons? Why did she call me Not Nate?"

She hummed and set the glass on the coffee table, letting the silence stretch awkwardly. "I'm glad I made her let go of the chems. Although I think that airs all of my dirty secrets in one go." Belle looked up at him. "I'll start with Not Nate. You remember when we first met?"

Danse smiled, turning the now empty mug over in his hands. "You ran screaming up to the police station in that bright blue vault suit, guns blazing and barely more human than the Ferals you gunned down. You made an unforgettable first impression."

Belle chuckled. "And you proceeded to bark orders from way up in your power armor with those puppy eyes. After our first big chat, I came back here and crashed for a week. I talked in my sleep and had nightmares. Namely ones where Nate wore your face. Not Nate. You both may be military but you are not even the same kind of person. He could be a monster." She sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Which leads to broken pasts."

"If you don't want to talk about it you don't have to."

She shook her head. "No. You need to know why I hate Nate. An affair is not a valid reason for all that hatred and thank you for never pushing that." She took a deep breath. "My parents died when I was young, 15 to be exact. I spent my high school years in and out of juvenile because I liked stealing and have problems with authority.” Danse gave an indelicate snort making her smile. “Claire was in nursing school and didn't have the time to keep me out of trouble. Nate knew about my past, used it to try and blackmail me into what he decided good behavior. It wasn't something I hid, I grew up, got clean of it, and was a mostly model citizen."

Danse hopped up setting his mug on the coffee table with hers. She sighed as he settled on to the couch next to her. “Nate forced the whole issue with us getting a place in the vault. He just insisted we had to have it. I gave in thinking with the divorce, he could have the damn vault and I could laugh at the waste of his money.” She was quiet for the minute. “I was okay changing into the vault suits and I was okay as it got colder. I could justify that. But when I saw the pods my heart started racing. The doctor asked if I was okay and when I said no, Nate laughed. He made some joke about me being scared of about small spaces and caves. About how I was a little girl who couldn't handle it, who needed him to hold my hand. It took three of them and a shot to get me into the pod. Some kind of narcotic. And he just stood there making jokes. I went under angry and I woke up angry.”

Danse wrapped his arms around her and she turned to settle her forehead into his chest. She chuckled. "I watched them kill Nate. Part of me was angry that it wasn’t me pulling the trigger. That he could be so callous about my fear and then have the audacity to be murdered. I woke up in a brand new world. I was angry and scared. So angry."

"You're still angry."

She nodded. "I won't deny it. But I found good things to use it for. I can help people. Dogmeat was what made the difference though. If I had met a human first thing out the vault, I can't say I wouldn't have killed them with my bare hands. That I wouldn't have thrown my humanity away. I still would have taken over the Commonwealth, but it wouldn't be as the good general. It would be from a throne of skulls. It's hard to be evil when a puppy thinks you're the best thing ever." Danse stared at the top of her head at a loss for words. "I guess that answers your demon question. I dress them up as Minutemen and hope they don't bite people I like."

"I'm glad you’re on my side." He rested his chin on her shoulder.

She leaned into him, shivering in the circle of his arms. "Me too. I like this me better. I like doing good. But it would have been very easy to be the raider queen of the Commonwealth."

"I don't think you would have been as bad as you think."

She chuckled and turned to face him. "You really think that after all the times you seen me fight? And fucked me? I was always the bottom rung of everything. The tiny one who had to depend on someone else to get the top shelf items. To the turn the tables is like being handed the universe."

"Yes.” Laughter shimmered in his dark eyes. “I prefer the term making love."

Belle's face puckered like she ate something sour. "Gross. Don't get all mushy on me now, paladin. Fucking. Fuck." She straddled his lap and kissed his neck before whispering in his ear. "Fuck."

"Language." She giggled as he wrapped his arms around her. "But whatever makes you happy, general."

Belle's eyes softened. "You do."


	21. Alley Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angry Belle and Straight up Smut in Goodneighbor

They nursed their drinks separately. Belle was leaned against the bar, surveying the room and watching the door. No one spoke to her. Her eyes made brooding circuits, left, door, right, and back looking for trouble. Daring it to come talk to her, fingers itching for a fight and an outcome she could handle. She had gotten into the Institute. Finally made it. Everything and nothing made sense. Father, no Shaun, was an adult, an old grey adult older then her by decades. He was the one causing all this synth chaos in the Commonwealth. He wanted her to see the good they were capable of but all she saw was insanity and greed. Yes, there was a lot of good the Institute could do, but they weren't doing. And for all for all his intellectual superiority, Shaun hadn't figured out she wasn't his mother. She smirked into her drink, in that regard he was exactly like his father. Child Shaun, the synth, picked at her heart. No child should be locked in a little room like a hamster. An experiment for a rainy day to be labeled as a failure for reacting like a child should when confronted by a stranger. She sighed and almost wished she had taken up Piper's offer of a smoke months ago. Right now it would give her something to do and the coating of ash would numb the taste in her mouth.

 Danse was tucked in at a table. When Belle had returned to Sanctuary, her gaze had been hollow. She had thanked Sturges and drug them off to GoodNeighbor as quickly as she could. The first person she went to was Hancock who took one look at her and set them up in Hotel Rexford under the pretense that it was a reward for helping him with Bobbi No Nose. He may not be officially in office right now, but the Mayor's word was still law. Elder Maxson had summoned her to the Prydwn and she had angrily thrown her pipboy across the room before announcing she was going to get a drink. He had followed her out while she complained that she could go by her damn self. Danse shook his head. She had the same look in her eyes when she first wandered into the Cambridge Police Station, a barely contained wild rage that was clawing at her civilized veneer.

A tipsy patron approached him. "We don't need you Brotherhood assholes here." Danse gave the slightest of sighs and took another drink. The man shoved his shoulder. "I was talking to you."

Danse ignored him, idiot civilians weren't new. Belle's foot began to tap at the bar. "Hey, knock it off." The man ignored her. She downed the rest of her drink and walked up behind him as he continued his lisping tirade. She tapped his shoulder. "Knock it the fuck off."

The man sneered down at her before turning back to Danse. "What, you need a little girl to talk for you without that metal suit?"

Danse chuckled into his drink. "I wouldn't mess with her. I watched her rip a super mutant's head off with her bare hands. Without a metal suit."

The man scoffed. "Whatever, you're not welcome here." He leered at Belle. "Unless you want to exchange your girl for the trouble."

Belle took a deep breath. Danse pointed at her. "No."

The man laughed. "That's right, little girl, know your place."

Belle rolled her eyes at Danse before grabbing the man's collar jerking his head down to connect it with her fist. The man held a hand to his bleeding nose as Belle wound up for another shot. Danse stood and grabbed her around the waist. "We're leaving, soldier."

"The little bitch hit me!" Several of the man's buddies started rolling up their sleeves.

"Put me down. I can fucking take them." She wiggled in his grip, her soft appearance hid the wiry steel that bunched under her flesh. "I'll make you fuckers cry like the little bitches you are."

One of the men cracked their knuckles. "You need to be taught a lesson. Your little boyfriend too.”

"I'm going to feed you your own asses. Put me down, damn it." Danse shook his head and tossed her over his shoulder and left the bar at a quick trot. She bounced on his shoulder as he took the stairs two at a time and she cursed him. "I'm going to kick your knees out when you put me down."

He carried her until they made the alley halfway to the Rexford. He set her down and her fist sang towards him, fury sparking in her kohl lined eyes. Danse grabbed it in his hand and shook his head. "Don't pick fights with the person who taught you how to fight."

"You should have let me take care them." She hissed.

He jabbed a finger in her face. "You went in there looking for a fight. They would have gotten bored with me and went back to their drinks." She snapped her teeth close enough to his finger he felt the breeze. "I know you ran here. You know I won’t drag whatever happened in there out of you. If we had gone to Diamond City, Piper would have. But don't push it. There are a million places we could have went for you to let this all off. Why here?"

She snarled. "Because if anyone looks for me here, Hancock will make sure they don't find me. I don't want the Minutemen, the damn Railroad, or the fucking Brotherhood breathing down my neck while I try to figure out what the hell I am going to do. This is neutral territory."

She shoved past him and into the entrance of the alley, cramming her hands into the jacket pockets. "And you are right about Piper. She can smell lies and I'm bad at them anyway." She turned to look at him. "I don't know if I want a fight or fuck so unless you can take both sides of this wild ride, I suggest you go back to the hotel and leave me the fuck alone."

She made it half a step before he had a hold of her, twirling her into the wall and ghosting his lips over hers. She gave a frustrated growl and went to push him away. He gathered her tiny wrists in one big hand, anchoring them against the wall above her head before tracing his tongue down her jaw. He nuzzled at the base of her neck, nipping at the soft flesh. The giggle that left her traveled down his spine and he pulled his eyes to hers as he slid his knee between her thighs. Rage still flared across her irises fighting a war with the darkening of desire. Her smile was a wild thing, a siren's call to dance. He leaned his forehead to hers. "I don't want to fight, Belle. And I sure as hell don't want to set you lose to fuck someone else."

She nipped at his lips, grinding down on his thigh. "Then fuck me."

"In an alley."

She scoffed. "It's a dark damn alley, soldier." She arched her back and purred. "Half the fun is the thought we could get caught."

He chuckled and placed a kiss below her ear and punctuated each word with another down her throat. "I can't enjoy every inch here."

She sighed as his lips traveled along the collar of her tank. "You can enjoy inches later. I can go more than one round. Can you?"

Danse growled and dropped her feet to the ground before turning her back to him. Belle laughed as she swayed against the rapid hardening of him. She braced her hands against the wall as he tongued her neck and snaked a hand up her shirt to fondle her breasts. She moaned arching her ass up at him. He dropped his hands to the button of her jeans and then wiggled them down her hips. Belle moaned again when his finger circled her clit. He nibbled at her ear. "Already wet for me?"

She nodded rocking her hips back and forth. "Fuck me, Danse. We can play nice later."

He responded by undoing his own jeans, his length springing free to brush along the skin of her back. After several bungled attempts he left a laughing bite on the back of her neck. "Why are you so short?"

Belle laughed as she turned in his arms. "Then let's zip up and take it back to the hotel." He leaned down to capture her lips before picking her up and bracing them against the wall. Belles eyes went a little wide. "This works though."

He chuckled into her neck as he helped her free one leg. "It'd be easier if you didn't wear pants."

"And what? Flash the deathclaws into submission?" Her laugh turned to moan as he finally slid into her. "Oh yes."

Belle laced her hands into his hair as he tugged down her shirt freeing her breasts to his tongue and teeth as he took up the measured pace that would make sure she finished before he did. She trailed a hand across the leather of his coat feeling the muscles move through it. The back of her head seemed to find every projected rough spot on the wall so she leaned her forehead against his shoulder.

She felt the edge coming and then felt it fade. Belle huffed into the leather. "Would you believe me if I said my orgasm just escaped?"

Danse moaned into her neck. "Mines not."

She chuckled turning her lips to his neck and sliding a hand between them to circle her clit. "Just hold out a little, soldier boy. I am a pro at this." She hit just the right spot and bucked against him, dragging moans from them both. She frantically rubbed as she felt his pace become erratic and her orgasm hit like a bomb. Her head snapped forward as her body curled into his, doubling the stars in her vision.  "Fuck."

Danse laughed breathlessly as he came down off of his. "Ow, Belle." He lowered her to the ground with a lingering kiss and they got back into their clothes. "Feel better?"

She kicked at the ground. "Maybe."

Danse grabbed her hand. "We’ll just have to see how you feel after round two then."


	22. Don't They Know It's the End of the World?

"You don't know how to deal with your anger." Danse stated as he twirled an errant curl around his finger while they lounged well sated in their bed at the Rexford.

Belle huffed. "No." She snuggled into his side. "Mom and Dad never got angry. They argued holding hands, only raised their voices when someone was in danger. Claire never got angry. Me? I could go sweet to psycho faster than you could blink."

"What about with Nate?"

"Boat fucker." She gave a disgusted snort. "He enjoyed pushing my buttons. He liked fighting because he could go out with his buddies and talk about the crazy wife. It gave him the excuse he needed for the affair. But he enjoyed riling me up for fucking too. He even made the comment once that the best sex was fight sex." She shook her head. "We were so fucked up."

Danse kissed her forehead. "Did you two love each other?"

Belle stiffened in his arms and swallowed hard. Her fingers resumed their intricate tracing on his chest. "For a while." The words tasted of sorrow as they crossed her tongue, leaving her lips with a bittersweet smile. "We were happy for a while, in love even. It was everything it was supposed to be; the kind of thing from fairy tales and movies. But we didn't know how to hold it together or how to weather life's storms. We were kids playing grownups in a world tearing itself apart and we mirrored it.” She shook her head. “Now I just shoot something and call it a day. I came here to think, paladin, and you are distracting me.” Danse grinned and kissed her, soft and sweet. A kind of kiss she wanted to melt in to and disappear with. She reluctantly pushed him away, shaking her head. "Turn on the radio, pretty please?"

Danse chuckled as he rolled over to do so. "Pretty isn't a word I would use for me."

Belle snorted. "Handsome please sounds weird." She got up and stretched. "Get some sleep. I have plotting to do."

"And junk to sort." He finished. She smiled down at him before giving him one more quick kiss.

The night was warm so Belle opened the window and grabbed a water from their gear before settling in at the table with her stack of paper. She blew an errant curl from her face. No matter how she turned it, she couldn't figure out how to make everyone live happily ever after in the damn Commonwealth. She settled for lists. The Institute was calling for the Railroad and Brotherhood's heads. They had great things that could do a lot of good but settled for causing absolute chaos and were assholes. The Brotherhood wanted to kill all the synths because they were ill mannered bigots. She questioned how much of it was Maxson's personal thoughts and how much was someone else's stuffed into his head. He was so young. They could do good, they just needed better guidance. The Railroad was trying, so were the Minutemen. "Not to toot my own horn, but we do pretty well." She sighed.

Destroying the institute would make three groups happy and the rest the Commonwealth for that matter. They did a lot of damage. With the Railroad’s assistance surely there was a way to get the innocent synths to safety as well. She glanced at the man peacefully sleeping on the bed. Would the Brotherhood stop at that? Would they leave the Commonwealth knowing the Institute was destroyed? Or would they want to add the Commonwealth to their list of controlled lands? Maxson might be pacified temporarily, but the Brotherhood wasn't needed here. The Commonwealth didn't need overlords. That fight might come sooner than later.

Belle got up and went to the sink, splashing water on her face before staring into the mirror. Was she any different than Maxson? She let her 28th, well 238th, birthday pass without mention. She was a general who took care of multiple settlements. Her word was law. People looked up to her to make the right choice and she was hiding in the town known for its poor decisions. The smile she gave herself in the mirror was a wild thing, hauntingly similar to the ghouls she gunned down at every turn. She sighed, shoulders dropping. She was tired but dawn was breaking through the window and they needed to head out today. Belle started packing up as Danse slowly came to. "Don't they know it's the end of the world?" Danse smiled. He loved listening to her sing, even the sad songs.

He got up to help her. "Did you sleep at all?" She shook her head. He rubbed his hands along her arms. "Let's follow those leads on your sister that Nick found. The Institute will be here tomorrow."

Belle turned and blinked up at him several times before grinning. "I won't tell anyone you said that." She danced around as they finished up and she belted out the last line of the song with a smile. "It ended when you said goodbye!" Danse shook his head.


	23. A Very Good Barbarian

Danse held out a hand to her. "Watch your step. There is a lot of debris here."

Belle laughed as she went around him. "I wonder how much of it I can carry off in this clunky power armor."

Danse groaned. "Aren't we carrying enough junk?"

Belle's eyes widened as she looked around them. "I'm taking everything. Silver shroud stand up. The posters." Her fingers trailed down the dusty counter. "I listened to that radio show every time it was on. I didn't care if it was a replayed episode."

"Is that why you agreed to this crazy mission?"

She grinned at him. "Oh yeah. The Silver Shroud. I wish I could catch the station out at Red Rocket. Maybe I can get Kent and Travis to work out a deal." She sighed and started searching through drawers.

Hours later they had cleared out the building. "Oh come on, Danse, try on the costume. Don't you want to be a barbarian?"

"Negative."

Belle pouted. "Fine." She tossed off her jacked and kicked off her shoes. "I want to.” Danse rolled his eyes and went to examine the sound equipment.

Belle held up the costume and tossed her bra in the pile too. It was airy. The tattered green skirt was see through and the belt bit into her hips. The boots were uncomfortable but she liked the gloves. She smiled, practical wasn't what she was going for here. Just a bit of fun to take her mind off things. She went to step into the sound room and then whipped off the top tossing it in to her pack. Grognak didn't wear it after all.

She leaned against the door frame, arm lazily snaked up the frame, hip jutted out and breasts heaving with each breath. "Well? Do I make a good barbarian, Paladin Danse? Or should I go get the axe?"

Danse looked up and flushed. "Belle."

She trailed her fingers down the frame as she moved toward him. Her smile turned wicked as she watched his gaze fix on her swaying breasts. He met her halfway and she hooked her fingers into his power armor, pulling herself up to his lips. "Don't make me get the axe to crack you out of that suit."

Danse chuckled against her lips. "You make a very good barbarian."


	24. But I am a Machine

“I can't, Belle, I'm sorry.” Danse rolled away from her, curling into himself. Once the shock wore off, Belle huffed and grabbed the big man's shoulder flipping him on to his back

Belle cut him off by sitting on him and stabbing a finger into his chest. “Enough.” She poked him again. “I mean it. I don't care if you're a fucking polka dotted dinosaur. Stop. It. Stop shutting me out. Stop shutting your friends out. Just stop this nonsense.”

“Nonsense?” He growled half sitting up. “My whole life has been a lie!”

“You lived it. Just because it turns out you aren't flesh and blood human like probably no one other than me anymore does not make your experiences less. It doesn't make you less.”

“Synths shouldn't exist.”

It was Belle’s turn to growl. “You know what the Brotherhood shit reminds me of? Racism and sexism. Those are the old world words for it. Anyone whose skin was a little different, or their eyes, or their accent was less. Women were less, all because they had ovaries. People were even judged for and made less because of who they loved. And the fact these issues still occur now makes me sick. The targets just changed. Different does not mean less. We all have the same souls." Her tone softened as she went, her eyes glassing at the memories she was recalling.

"Even a machine?"

Belle wrinkled her nose. "Do you hate? Do you cry? Do you love?"

“It could be a program!”

“I doubt it. Cogsworth thinks the sun shines out my ass and that is not in his programming. And there is more human to you then there is to him. And better hair.”

Danse snorted but his eyes softened and he laid back. "So you don't think I'm an abomination worthy of extermination?"

She slapped her hand down on his chest making him wince. "I think I'm going to turn into an abusive girlfriend if you think I'd ever entertain that notion. The love I feel for you did not change the moment I found out you have different plumbing.”

“Love then.” he said softly bringing his hand to caress her cheek.

Belle blushed and looked down before bringing her eyes back to his. “Yes. I wanted to tell you sooner. But no time felt right and then everything went insane. I love you, Danse.”

“But,” his voice cracked, “how can I know what I feel is the same and not a lie?”

“What does your heart say?”

“What if I don't have one?”

Belle snorted and rolled her eyes. “Metaphorical heart then, smart ass.”

“It says I love you too.”

“Good.” she said curling her fingers across his chest. “Because when I am in your arms, I am home for the first time in my life. When I look in your eyes, I feel peace. When you kiss me,” she leaned forward and softly pressed her lips to his. “I feel like the center of the universe. Like I'm filled with a thousand suns but can't burn.”

“You're crying.” he said brushing a tear from her cheek.

She laid her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. “I am so afraid I'm going to lose you over things I can't change. I don't think I can let you go and be okay.”

He kissed her soft hair and rubbed circles on her back. "I'm not going anywhere, Belle. Not when you make me feel alive."


	25. Love is Sisters and Tin Cans

"So what's it like with the Tin Can now?"

Belle gave her friend a sideways glance before kicking a rock in her path. "I can't imagine what you mean."

"You know exactly what I mean, Blue. We have all watched him watch you wiggle around in that vault suit." Piper smirked at Belle's reddened ears.

Belle muttered. "This isn't the time or place, Piper."

"It's the open road! It's just us for miles! Now is the best time." Piper thought a moment. "What if I promise to not put it in the paper?"

Belle laughed. "Piper, you are biggest, nosiest gossip in the Commonwealth. The paper is the least of my worries." Piper gave her a grin and the two companions continued down the road in silence.

Belle sighed. “You know all those old cheesy love songs on the radio? It’s like that, but better. We can look out for each other without stepping on each other’s toes most of the time. Conversations in just looks. A whole story in I love you.”

“As grossly sweet as that is, Blue, what about the Brotherhood? Aren’t they out for his head?”

“Yeah.” Belle’s eyes narrowed. “I have my responses to their bullshit written on bullets.”

Piper stopped in the road to stare at her friend. “I would ask if you were kidding but I seriously know better.” Belle flashed her a grin. “How does he feel about all that?”

They started walking again. “He’s working on it, knowing that Haylen spoke up for him helped a lot.” She was quiet for a moment. “Things were dark for about a month. I wasn’t sure I could leave him unattended without coming back to him having put a bullet in his head.”

“That bad?”

“Yeah. The tallest fall the hardest, you know. Preston has helped a lot, keeps him busy with Minutemen stuff. MacCready would watch him when I had to go out. It took all of us. And maybe I did some chastising.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there, Blue.”

Belle slung an arm around Piper’s shoulders. “You have Nat to look after, don’t you ever apologize for that. I know you would have helped if you had been there. The thought counts.”

Piper wrapped her arm around the other woman’s waist. “Thanks. Not a lot of people can understand that. Although I do wish I had witnessed you yelling at him.”

“I didn’t yell. Loudly. I may have poked him several times though. And told him I loved him and he was being an idiot.”

Piper halted again. “You finally said it!”

Belle turned to face her friend and blushed. “Yes. It was hard. Can we move on?”

“Was it hard because you are embarrassed by everything or because of Nate?”

Belle wrinkled her nose. “I should not have told you about Nate.”

“You shouldn’t have had me help gather up the pictures in your old house so you could draw rude pictures on his face after you killed Kellogg.”

“You helped on some of them.” Piper laughed while nodding in agreement. “I hope this finally leads to Claire. You two will love each other.”

“I hope we find your sister too, Blue.” The two women began walking again arm in arm. “After all, you were the one that told me no one should give up on family. Plus, 200 years apart and finding each other again will make a great story too.”


	26. Dansing with Ghouls

"Why do you collect all these bears?"

Belle was silent a second before smiling sheepishly. "For Dogmeat."

Danse snorted, checking over his weapon. "Why?"

"Because he likes them and it makes him happy."

"Why do you care if he's happy?"

Belle glared at him before taking a shot at a ghoul sneaking up on them. "Because he is easy to make happy and doesn't question all my habits." Her rifle cracked again, bringing down the ghoul.

"So, I need to be more like the dog."

Belle sighed. "That is not what I said, Tin Can. Although sometimes being able to scratch you behind your ears to make you happy would be handy." Danse shook his head, picking off another ghoul. It didn't take them long to clear them out.

"I'm half tempted to blow this whole place." Danse looked at her with alarm. "Do you know how many times I've cleared out this training yard? It's prime ghoul estate. As much as I like helping people, I would like some time to do what I need to do."

"Like take teddy bears to the dog?"

Belle smiled. "Or kiss you."

"That's impossible in power armor, General."

Belle smirked. "That's why it comes off, Paladin." She slipped out the back of her armor, jeans and leather jacket hugging her curves like the smile that hugged her dimples. "Come on, Danse. They are all dead. And we are alone."

Danse shook his head and stepped out of his armor to her stepping into his arms. Lips came together with bruising force. He slipped her jacket off and tossed it on the bench beside them before slipping his hands up her shirt. Her breathless moan was against his neck before she sunk her teeth softly into the flesh there. She fumbled with the zipper of his uniform, cursing.

Danse chuckled against her hair. "Want some help?" She glared up at him while he unzipped it. She pulled it the rest of the way down, dropping to her knees. She gave a tentative lick to his head before sinking her lips to the base of him. Danse leaned back against the wall, tangling his hands in her hair. He moaned her name before pulling her back up to his lips.

"Turn around." Belle gave a breathless laugh before complying. He tugged her jeans down from her hips before sliding himself in. "Fuck, Belle."

She wiggled her hips before rocking back against him. Both of her hands were braced on the old glass wall, and one of his snaked around to her front to rub her clit. He felt her muscles tighten in response more than he heard her appreciative moan over the slapping of their flesh. Belle went over the edge yelling his name and he picked up his pace to join her. Just as he was starting to come, he heard a snarl behind him. Frozen mid act, all he could do was watch as Belle grabbed the rifle below her and fire it twice into the ghoul splattering them both in goo.

She looked at him, shock turning into mirth on her face. She fell against the wall, pulling up her jeans while sliding down it to sit on the ground and rock with her laughter. Tears streamed down her face as she gazed up at him. "You should see your face, Danse."

He zipped up his uniform and stepped back into his power armor as she continued to howl. He checked his weapon and then emptied five rounds into the corpses at the other end of the hall. She was gasping for breath when he looked at her, eyes crinkling at the corners but managing to keep the smile that was threatening off his face. "Get in your power armor, General, or I will put you over my shoulder and carry you back to base."

She got to her feet unsteadily, slipping on her jacket again. "That's a fine threat until I tell them a ghoul caught you with your pants down." She cackled, diving behind her power armor and strapping in before he could grab her.

"I almost hate you."

"Aw, I love you too." She purred before laughing again.


	27. Claire

"Thanks for coming with me, Piper." They had left Goodneighbor and headed north. Hancock had pointed Belle to a farm called the Slog in her quest to find her sister.

"Anything for you, Blue." They ducked an old road sign. "After your nightmare at the Institute this is fun."

Belle smiled. She had spent the past couple weeks working everything over in her mind. It was time to get this done and then she could concentrate on bringing down the Institute. Her smile faltered. "I just wish I knew what I was expecting."

Piper playfully shoved her. "You'll make it work."

It was surprisingly easy to find but Belle had a hard time focusing through Wiseman's talk of building a settlement that showcased cooperation and interest in a common goal. She smiled and agreed to look into some super mutants that were harassing their traders because they'd be happy to join the Minutemen if the general was willing to make time for them. She made a mental note to get Preston mind numbingly drunk when she got back to the Castle, and to wake him for early patrol with artillery fire. Finally, she got to the important part. "I'm looking for someone."

"Well the only people around here are ghouls."

Belle resisted rolling her eyes. "Her given name was Claire Faust. She was a nurse prewar."

Wiseman nodded. "She's inside."

They headed to the building. "I'll wait out here, Blue."

Belle nodded, dropping her pack beside Piper. She stepped into the building letting her eyes adjust to the gloom. "You don't look like a trader. You lost?"

Belle froze. "Claire?"

The woman grabbed her shoulders jerking her into the light of the open door. She studied her face. She was weathered and noseless but Belle knew those eyes anywhere even without the severe arches that used to loom over them. Claire shook her. "Belle?" She nodded. "You could have wrinkled a little you know." Belle chewed her lip at a loss for words. Claire shook her head and threw her arms around her. "I have missed you so much."

Belle let go of the breath she was holding and returned the hug. "I've missed you too."

Claire drug her over to the dilapidated couch. "Tell me everything, from the moment the bomb fell."

"Nate is dead."

Claire blinked. "Did you kill him?"

"No." Belle sighed. "I wish I had. The people who took Shaun did. The institute took him."

Claire looked at her hands. "I lost them in Concord. I tried."

Belle took them in her own. "It's fine. Do you know how long ago that was?" Claire nodded. "Exactly. He's an adult now. All this crazy synth business? That's Shaun."

"You're joking."

"I wish. He's just like Nate."

Claire imitated a deep baritone. "I know everything and I am so much better then you." They laughed. "So what are you going to do about it?"

"Blow them up."

Claire shook her head. "You still have issues."

"I'm the General of the Minutemen. It's my job now." Belle stated primly.

"The world is ending again. My little sister is being responsible and doing good deeds."

Belle rolled her eyes. "You haven't changed at all."

Sadness crept into Claire's smile. "I've changed again and again. I just had to decide I wasn't going to let this world change me anymore."


	28. Dansing with Deathclaws

He turned to look at her one last time. Belle saw the sadness in his eyes mixed with regret. He turned and charged into the group of Deathclaws that were chasing them.

“Danse, NO!” She snarled at his back before bringing up the Fat Man and taking aim just past him. “Please let that armor hold. If there are any gods left watching this world, let that armor hold.” She squeezed the trigger.

She pulled exploded death claw parts off of him. There wasn’t anything left of any of them worth keeping and she wasn’t sure she wanted the ghastly reminder of his stupidity. “You better not be dead under there, tin can. Or I will fucking kill you.” She dragged the last body off of him and pulled the compact from her tool belt. She flipped it open and held the mirror to his nose. “Breathe, you absolute fucking fool.” She sighed in relief as the mirror fogged, slumping temporarily against his gore covered armor. She snapped it shut and zipped it back into place. She glanced around them and gave a halfhearted chuckle. “At least they chased us towards camp this time.”

The process of dragging the unconscious man across the rough terrain was a strain on Belle’s body and patience. “You better not fucking die while I drag you up this fucking hill, Danse. And when you wake up, I don’t want a single fucking comment about how I should wear my power armor. I won’t leave it behind anymore. Oh no. IF I had my power armor, I could fucking carry you. Although you ever do that stupid kind of shit again, I will just leave you under the mountain of dead parts.” She gave the last heave that sent her sprawling on to the floor of the cabin beside him. She checked him with the mirror again and breathed a sigh of relief.

She was sure the nest was all dead but she still brought in the remaining laser turrets of the now abandoned settlement to cluster around the cabin. It was a sturdy structure and with the turrets guarding all four sides, not much would sneak up on them while she worked. She rolled him over and twisted the wheel of the armor opening it like an oyster. She peeled him out the armor carefully before hauling it off the floor and stepping into it to place it in the corner.

She slowly checked his body; no broken bones, no cuts, he didn’t even have a bruise. She turned him on to his side and slowly ran her hand across the back of his head. There was a definite lump just below the crown of his head. She sighed. “If only Claire was here, she’d have you fixed in a jiffy. I, however, am talking to an unconscious man and going to stab you with a stimpack to make myself feel better.” She slid the needle gently under his skin and sat back to wait.

Several hours later, he groaned as he came to. The light was soft and unfocused but when he turned his head there she was staring at him. He wasn’t sure if he winced at the pain in his head or the look on her face. “What happened?”

“What I told you was going to happen. I took them all out with four nukes. With you standing in the middle, playing some fucking hot shot hero and making me fucking curse.”

He winced again sitting up. “Such language shouldn’t come from a lady.”

She glared and threw a bottle of water at him. “Fucking drink it. You have a concussion to the best of my knowledge. You’ll need quite a bit of sleep before you are ready to travel again.”

He drank down half of it, watching her over the bottle. She had turned from glaring at him to staring out the door. “Belle, I’m-.”

“Don’t.” She said softly, refusing to look at him. “Don’t you dare apologize to me. Not when you turned around and ran at them with a goal to die.”

“Dying wasn’t my goal. Keeping you safe was.”

She glared out the door. “I had a Fat Man and several nukes. I didn’t need saving.”

“Maybe not, but what if you had missed?”

She turned her glare back on him, withering him down. “You can’t miss with a nuke.”

Danse sighed and scrubbed his face with his hand. “How did we get back here?”

She licked her lips and her eyes sparkled a little. “I drug you.”

He arched his brows. “What?”

The sparkle turned into a smile. “I drug you, through the blood and guts, up a hill, down a hill and through this door. While you were in your power armor.”

He blinked several times. “Next time we face a nest of deathclaws, I will let you take care of it. That much strength in such a tiny woman will not be deemed in need of saving ever again.”

She gave him a full grin, dimples appearing on her cheeks. “You wouldn’t have liked all the language.”

He gave her a sheepish grin in return. “I may have deserved it.” He held out his hand.

She sighed and took it, maneuvering herself under his arm and laying her head on his chest. She blew a stray hair from her face. “Why can’t I ever stay mad at you? This is important and here I am cuddling you as a reward for bad behavior.”

“I won’t tell Dogmeat.”

She swung her leg over his to face him and glared at him again. “Did you just crack a joke?’

His lips twitched. “Would saying yes get me out of trouble or into more?’

She huffed again before leaning her forehead gently against his, a small smile playing across her lips.  “I hate you.”

“Do you hate me as much as you love me?” He touched a finger under her chin so her eyes met his.

“I love you more.” He kissed her then wrapping his hands around hips before clenching them across her back drawing her into him. She sighed, elbows balanced on his shoulders and fingers toying with the wall behind them.

He trailed open mouth kisses down her jaw and then her neck before leaning his head on her shoulder. “I love you too. And it makes me stupid.”

She chuckled. “Just don’t make a habit of it, okay? You aren’t made of replaceable parts and neither is my heart.”

He shook his head against her shoulder. “I might be.”

She scoffed and lightly smacked his shoulder. “Let’s get some food into you and then you are going back to sleep, solider. General’s orders.”


	29. Mama?

"Everybody ready, Preston?" Belle checked her shotgun one last time.

He nodded as they both looked over the men and women set to accompany them. "As ready as we are going to be, general."

He adjusted his hat a final time as Belle gave the final orders. "We will be evacuating people out through the teleporter. Do not shoot them unless they shoot you. If they surrender, you take their weapons. I never got a clear count on how many people we will be getting out but the last group to get sent through will tell you they are. Then I want you to dismantle it. Watch the walls, not every courser will be in the Institute and they may send some out for a counter attack when they realize we are there." Belle grinned, hefting her shotgun into the air. "Minutemen, are you with me?" Cheers roared through the assembled crowd. "Move out!"

She hadn't expected so much resistance, some to be certain. She was destroying their way of life, kicking them out of their home, killing their friends. But being attacked by the gorillas? She rubbed the aching bruise forming on her bicep as she sat at the terminal. "Are you giving the evacuation code?" Preston forced a bottle of water into her hand.

She nodded. "Thanks. Hopefully it will make our lives easier." She took a drink, grimacing as it burned down her throat. She had inhaled a lot of smoke and would spend the next several weeks paying for it.

Preston fiddled with his water. "Why didn't you bring Danse with you?"

She entered the evacuation codes and alarms began sounding off around them. Belle looked up at him, her smile sad. "Would he have let me enter that code? Even knowing that he is like them, could he have thrown away years of Brotherhood creed and let them go?"

She stood and slipped back into her combat armor and set some more grenades into her belt. Preston laid a gentle hand on her arm. "I'm sorry you couldn't trust him."

She nodded, slipping back into the mask of the General. She gave him a grin. "That's why I have the Minutemen. We are the good guys, doing the right thing."

 

"Did you come here to gloat?" Shaun coughed from his sick bed.

Belle set her shotgun down. "You're dying."

"Yes."

She sat beside him. "No. I didn't. I had wanted to change your mind, to avoid more bloodshed. And to tell you the truth."

Shaun blinked at her. It was so hard to reconcile this old man with the baby she remembered. "The truth?"

"I am not your mother." Emotions chased each other across his face. He went to open his mouth and she cut him off. "Let me explain. Your mother died before the war. I was married to your father. But she died giving birth to you and he brought you to our home, registered you as ours. It's my name on your birth certificate even. But we have no shared blood. Just a bond."

He stared at the air before him in silence before speaking softly. "What was her name?"

"Anna." Belle swallowed. "She was a waitress at a Drumlin Diner. She had red hair, her brother served with Nate. That was how they met."

He nodded and took a deep breath. "Why have you been coming back week after week if I wasn't your son?"

Belle glanced towards the door, towards the room where child Shaun was kept. "For him." She said simply. "I am not who you expected, or wanted, and I am sorry for that. I know what it's like to be an orphan, to be alone, to be misunderstood." She took Shaun's hand with a gentleness that surprised even herself. "I can promise you, he will have a mother and a childhood. He will be happy. I'm not perfect, it won't always be perfect, but he will be loved. Just as you would have been if we would have been given the time."

He nodded, tears catching on his crow’s feet. "Is that why you made your modifications?"

She nodded. "Originally it was a very selfish idea of being alive and young for long time. I have a lot to do and not enough hours in the day. Having Nick's lifespan would give me an edge, a third chance." She smiled. "Shaun needs a mother who is little more indestructible then a mere human. I want a chance to enjoy some quiet. And I am much nicer then Kellogg."

He shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips as his head fell back. "You would have done well in the Institute with your mind."

Belle smiled her voice soft as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze before brushing the hair back from his face. "In another life, kiddo." She watched his last breath rise and fall and then stood. He looked peaceful, maybe for the first time in his life. Belle sighed. "He looks just like you, Nate. I hope you're happy."

She went into the next room chewing her lip as she punched in the codes to open the chamber and to shut down the remaining defenses. The boy stepped out eyeing her warily. "Mama?"

Belle froze at the name; the first time he had used it. "Shaun?" The little boy ran to her throwing his arms around her. After a moment's hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him. "That's right, Shaun, mama." She hugged him tighter as the tears started to fall.

Preston stepped in to join them. "We need to get moving, general." She nodded, her throat tight. He dropped to a knee beside them and held his hand out to the boy. "You must be Shaun. It's nice to meet you, I'm Preston Garvey. I work with your Mom."

Shaun nodded shyly, shaking his hand and releasing Belle. Preston stood as she dashed the tears from her eyes. "Are you alright?"

She smiled. "The best."

 

"Is everyone out?" Shaun hovered right behind her but his presence was calming instead of irritating.

Preston gave the affirmative. Sturges piped in. "The charges are set too."

She laughed. "Not quite yet. We are stripping this bad boy of everything useable. Not an ounce of wasted tech. Open the teleporter and Preston can bring back some men to help."

"We still have hostiles, general."

"Bring back armed ones to help then."

It didn't take them long to strip out the Institute most things were just too big or they found plans so they could replicate them topside. Preston appeared looking grim. "We found some synths. They aren't fighting anymore." Belle looked at him quizzically. "Just, follow me."

They were down in the labs, taunting the Minutemen who were guarding them. Shaun hooked his fingers into her belt loop, hiding behind her. "We gave an evacuation code. Why didn't you leave?"

"This is our home! Not that you would understand that." The woman spat at her.

Belle sighed. "If we let you go, what will you do?"

"Find ammunition and kill you." The man glared at her.

Belle pulled her 10ml from her belt, affectionately named Deadeye. "Look away, Shaun."

His fingers tightened on her belt loop but he came out from behind her. "No."

"Shaun, I will send you out with Preston, you don't need to see this."

The woman laughed. "Yes, don't watch mommy become the monster she truly is."

Shaun shook his head. "She's doing what she has to keep everyone else safe. Monsters don't keep people safe." He met Belle's eyes. "You won't be able to hide death from me on the surface.

She closed her eyes and nodded. When she opened them, they were empty. A blue void of fathomless depths that didn't ripple when she pulled the trigger.

 

Danse met them at the teleporter. Shaun's finger's tightened in her belt loops and she wrapped an arm around his slim shoulders. She gave Danse a smile. "Danse, this Shaun. Shaun, this is Danse."

He gave the boy a slight nod and then ignored him. Belle felt something along her spine harden. She smiled down at Shaun. “There is someone else you should meet.” She whistled and Dogmeat came trotting up. Shaun gave a delighted laugh and the two took off into the Castle courtyard. Belle folded her arms, glaring at Danse. “You could have been a bit more welcoming to him.”

“He’s not a baby. Or your son.”

She tapped her foot. “He is my son for what it matters, Danse. Our little broken family is good enough for us.”

“So that’s where you’ve been disappearing to the past few weeks, it was to the Institute and to see him.” She nodded. Danse sighed. “Is he a real child? After all those synths you sent through how can you be sure?”

She threw her hands up with a disgusted growl. “Does it matter, Danse? I love him. I’ve spent hours getting to know that child, he may not be the child of my blood but he is the child of my heart. I tore apart the Institute for his sake as much as it was for the Commonwealth’s. He is my selfish dream come true.”

Danse shook his head. “I have a patrol to lead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annd I finally updated. I rewrote this chapter again and again. And again. But its done.


	30. Choices

A runner found Belle in her quarters. She took one look at him and dropped her book on the table, leaving her seat. "How many attackers?"

"One, general. Not an attack. Someone in power armor." The runner panted.

Belle paled. "Thanks." She took off for the front gate. She left the Castle as Danse weaved into range of the laser turrets. Her sleep tossed hair was flying in the wind. "Danse!"

He smiled at her. "You're beautiful." He crashed to the ground. Cursing, Belle threw herself to her knees beside him. "Such language."

She slapped his power armor clad chest. "You've been missing for a week! I can say what I damn well please." She waved behind her and several Minutemen came to help her carry him into their clinic.

 Claire patted her shoulder. "He's fine. Food and water and some rest and we'll be back insulting each other in no time."

Belle wrinkled her nose. "Thanks, Claire. You're the best. I'll make sure to kick him for you."

She sidled up to his bedside. "I heard that. Your sister could kick me herself. And I'm pretty sure I could stop you." He grimaced. “The rest of the patrol?”

She smiled and shrugged. "You're assuming you'll see it coming. They made it back in one piece, if a bit worse for wear. Get some rest. I'll come irritate you some more later."

The next morning Danse left the clinic on his own feet to find Belle. She had turned one of the larger rooms into a central hub, complete with a table sized map with figurines to represent militia numbers and the settlements.

"Super Mutants have been plaguing this area. Settlers have pointed us in a thousand different directions though." Preston gestured at the map.

Belle tapped a pencil against her chin. "You think a nest is closer to the area then they think?"

"Super mutants aren't stupid. That's the problem." Preston sighed, rearranging his hat.

Belle contemplated the map before she started drawing lines. She drew straight radial lines from each settlement. Eventually she revealed a spot where most of the lines converged. She grinned up at Preston. "I haven't been here yet."

Danse spoke up. "I have. You want a spot just a little to the west. There's some kind of facility there." Belle arched an eyebrow at him and he shrugged. "I did more than get banged up while I was out there."

"Then we have our heading." She tapped it several times as if to encode the location into her memory. "I'll take it myself, Preston. No point in sending them out to get trampled."

"That's why you're the General." He nodded to them both and left the table to read some of their latest reports.

"Belle, I-."

"Yes, Paladin Danse?" There was a couple of shocked inhales and one chuckle from under Preston’s hat.

"I'm not a Paladin anymore."

"It's your official Minuteman ranking. One of a kind. Now I have work to do and you need to be healing up." She stared resolutely at her work, making notes on the map from their reports. Danse ran a hand through his hair with an aggravated sigh before walking around the table. He caught her about the waist and carried her out of the control room like she was a swearing sack of potatoes. "Put me down, you brute!"

"No."

She smacked him on the ass. "Right fucking now."

"I'll put you down when we get to our room."

"It's my room."

"And that is exactly why we are having this talk." He strode into the room and dumped her on to the bed before locking the door. He turned to face her as she rose from the bed, teeth bared like an angry cat with her hair wild. He could hear the steam coming from her ears. "Are you going to listen to what I have to say or would you like to scream first?"

She froze, staring at him. Her eyes narrowed before she gave a disgusted huff. "Fine. Talk."

"I'm sorry I left that patrol without warning you." She opened her mouth to respond but he cut her off. "I only expected to be gone a day. Back before night patrol even."

She sighed. "Remember the last time you took off without telling me?"

Danse swallowed hard. He remembered all too well. The only reason he was here was because she had begged Maxson for his life. She played the part of a good little Knight like she was born to it. They had fought about it afterwards. Her first choice was to put a bullet in Maxson's head the moment he had led her to Danse but she didn't for his sake.

"It wasn't meant to seem like that, Belle." He stepped towards her and when she didn't back away he wrapped his arms around her. He felt her body shudder. He gently tilted her head up. "Don't cry, please."

She buried her head into his shoulder and took a deep breath. "You scared me, Danse. You didn't leave any word. No one saw you at the other settlements, the patrol had no idea where you went. I thought-."

"I promised I would never leave you, remember?" He stroked her hair, he would never cease to be amazed by how soft it was.

She shook her head. "The Brotherhood has a bounty on your head. Kill on sight. You don't worry me near as much as they do."

"That's not surprising."

Belle hissed and grabbed him by his arms before giving him a rough shake. "Not surprising? That's barbaric!" She snarled out of his arms and started pacing. "After all you did for them? They know you, Danse, and now they are labeling you as some sneak thief murderer."

"It's their way, Belle."

She glared at him before resuming her pacing. "It was the second to last thing I got from Haylen. Her opinion of it was not that it was acceptable. She was upset. And it has me concerned since she's went silent."

"What was the last thing she radioed in?"

She sighed and stopped, wrapping her arms around herself. "It was sent through in the middle of the night and barely caught. All she said was he knows." Belle looked up at him. "The next day we got an official visitor from the Brotherhood and Maxson is requesting a meeting with the Minutemen General."

"Have Preston do it, most people think he is anyway."

She shook her head. "Danse, darling, he knows it's me. How could he not? And I bet he knows that I know how to get into the Institute. I laid low for two months pulling strings to get in there, to get Shaun. I succeeded where he failed. And I bet he doesn’t know its empty." Belle's eyes bored into his. "Danse. If he threatens anyone here, I will end him. Can you live with that?"

"It may not come to that, Belle, it could be a friendly meeting."

She gave a mirthless chuckle. "Right. Just like raiding farms is friendly commerce. I've had to move three settlements worth of people to new homes because of Brotherhood trade. They can't threaten and beat people who aren't there. They can harvest their own damn crops."

Danse laughed. "You can't just take on the Brotherhood, Belle, not with the Minutemen. Not even you are that good, even with your Captain's Dance."

Belle sighed, one hand rubbing her temple. "You could have a little faith in my abilities, you know. There's a reason I didn't take you into the Institute when we took them out. Which I did with the Minutemen and they had an underground fortress instead of a glorified vertibird." She fixed her eyes on his. "Anyone who didn't surrender I put down. I didn't ask the Minutemen to do it. If they were subdued and still spitting, I put the bullet in their heads myself. And then I stripped it before blowing the facility. The only thing left in the Institute when it blew was bodies."

Danse stared at her before his voice left him in a hoarse croak. "Why?"

"Because you have to become a monster to fight monsters." She shrugged. "I did what I needed to do. Shaun stood beside me through it all, finger hooked in my belt even when I told him to look away. With the Railroad's help, every synth that wanted one was given a mind wipe, those that wanted out of the Commonwealth are out. The ones that wanted to stay are settled in my settlements."

"Your settlements?"

She threw her hands up. "They are! Who drops what she's doing to fight off raiders and mutants? Who builds their turrets and homes? Who's taught them how to farm and sets the funds to start their shops? The institute had things to take their lives from just surviving to thriving. Life can be better."

"And if the Brotherhood interferes? There is innocent people there too, Belle."

She snarled. "I'm not Maxson, Danse. Anyone who doesn't want to fight, anyone who walks away I let go. I don't chase fights. I have enough shit to deal with without looking for more. But if he threatens any of my people again, I will break him. Or do you forget what he threatened to do to you? To gun you down like a dog that’s outlasted its use?" 

Belle stepped into his space as he tightened into silence. Her voice hissed low, breaking on ragged breathes like waves in a storm. "I will not get on my knees and beg for someone else’s life. Never again. I will not be helpless to that spoiled child who thinks lives are toys just because the person isn't like him. You are worth more than his opinion of you. Shaun is worth more. Every synth I have met is worth more than that brat with his fancy armor." Her fists began to shake at her sides as she fought to keep tears behind her lashes as he continued to stare at his feet. "I will show the Commonwealth how dangerous I am if it will keep the people I love safe. I will be the new monster. They will fear me, but they will love me for it. But I will not helpless again, Danse. Never again."

She stepped out of his space and across the room, wrapping her arms around herself. "Danse, you know how he is. I'm not asking you to take the shot yourself. You've earned it, but if you want to head out then go. Red Rocket is open to you. Just. Just send word if you don't want me there. I understand. But I can't let him hurt people just because he isn't getting his way. The Commonwealth doesn't need them as much as he needs it."

Danse refused to look at her, his voice hoarse. "I don't know, Belle."

He missed the pain that crossed her face, how one side of her mouth turned down while her eyes misted. "I'm trying to find the best way for everyone, Danse. If I don't have to, I won't. I don't think more blood is the answer, but I have so many to protect. I love you, no matter how this ends." Silence met her and she left the room.

She wiped tears blindly from her eyes as she walked back to the command hub. A small form tackled her around the waist. “Mama!”

“Shaun.” She forced a smile as she ruffled her hair. “How’s my boy?”

“Dogmeat got a mirelurk hatchling.” She paled. “Preston already said I can’t keep it. He took it back outside.”

She coughed to hide her laugh. “I agree. Mirelurks do not belong in the Castle.”

He took her hand and towed her outside into the blazing sunshine. “Were you fighting with Paladin Danse?” She nodded. “You guys fight a lot.”

“We have very different opinions.”

“You want to keep people safe and he’s lost.” At her raised eyebrow, he shrugged. “Sometimes the others would look like that after the scientists messed with their heads. They couldn’t remember things right anymore.” He released her hand and bounced ahead of her. “Sometimes they were never found. You can’t find him for him. You have to be happy too.” Belle’s eyes followed Shaun as he ran careening through the sunlight with Dogmeat hot on his heels. She settled against the radio tower with a deep sigh to contemplate her thoughts.

A sound woke her that night, a muffled voice. She sat up as the door to their quarters closed. She looked around, his pack was gone and all his things with it. Belle bit down her finger to keep from crying out as she heard his power armor clank to life. She would not beg him to stay. She would not chase him, not again. It was his choice. She laid back down curling on to her side and let the tears fall, stifling the sobs behind her fingers and then a corner of blanket when she broke the skin and tasted blood. Cold fingers brushed along her cheek. “Mama?”

She sniffled and scooted over. “I’m okay, sweet boy.” He crawled in beside her, placing his icy feet on top of hers. She leaned her forehead against his. “I always forget how tall you are. It won’t be long until you are taller than me.”

“Danse made you sad.”

She sighed and nodded. “It happens.”

“That’s stupid.”

That got a laugh to bubble up from her stomach ending the tears. “I agree. Let’s get some sleep.”


	31. Muster

Shaun and Dogmeat chased each other in the sunshine in the Castle courtyard. Boy and dog were carefree with their noise making, their happiness was infectious to those who watched them. "He's a synth, Belle, a normal childhood may not be possible for him." Danse said wrapping his arms around her.

She leaned into him. "That doesn't make him a monster. My parenting might."

He chuckled and kissed her hair. "We have an odd family. A 237-year-old human, two synths, and a ghoul."

"You forgot the dog and the deviant uncles, aunts, and cousin." Belle turned in his arms to smile up at him. "I don't think we will all fit in Red Rocket anymore."

Belle didn't hear his next words as her consciousness screamed back to the surface of her mind. She swung her legs over the side of the bed. The General's quarters had been renovated the past couple of months. It slept five now, sometimes six. Shaun and Nat were curled up in sleeping bags between Belle's bed and Piper's, who was snoring softly next to Claire. Mac was half dozing by the door and Preston was on the couch. She shook her head, her family barely fit in the Castle. Her troops needed room. It was going to take more than a couple of hell-bent fighters to take down Maxson. His little display still sent waves of hate down her spine. He had landed three vertibirds in the Castle courtyard, killed one bramhim, injured a minuteman, and managed to damage the radio tower. The smug brat had smiled at her protests. She had escorted him back to his seat at gun point while he promised retribution that never came directly. They had been forced to scramble to protect settlements, their roving patrols stretched thin. It was time.

Belle sighed and pulled on her boots. She crept quietly past the sleepers and silently swung the door shut behind her. She wandered down to the kitchen and grabbed her requisite cup of morning tea. Carrot flowers and the like were far from Earl Grey but it worked. The habit was more soothing then the drink. She wandered to the battlements in the last few moments of quiet before dawn. Every morning for the past several weeks she had stared south at the Prydwn, making her battle plans. Today, she stared west. Her heart was torn between the directions. South held the promise of a brighter future for so many. West was Red Rocket and she hoped Danse.

She left the choice to him. She had people to protect, just as she had been the shield between him and Maxson for the past year since discovering Danse was a synth. She had emptied the Institute and destroyed it. She had hoped the Brotherhood would leave the Commonwealth and let its people heal in peace. Maxson wasn't interested in peace. They had lost entire settlements because of them. Scribe Haylen had been hinting about defectors. Belle was planning on giving them a chance to do just that, it was as much for her own sake as it was for Danse. The Brotherhood had been his family and purpose, even after their inevitable betrayal she couldn't blame him for being attached.

She was taking a wistful sip when Piper lit up beside her. She glanced over and smiled. "I'm surprised Claire let you escape. She looked comfy."

Piper let a trail of smoke go. "You could build another bed, Blue."

Belle rolled her eyes. "Like you two could be separated."

They both laughed as the sun came over the water. Belle wanted to think it was clearer this morning, a heavenly blessing on their plan. "Bad dream this morning?"

Belle shook her head. "A happy one. I'd rather have nightmares."

Piper wrapped an arm around Belle's waist who then laid her head on her friend’s shoulder. "He'll be waiting for you."

"I don't know, Piper. I want to hope. But I'm taking down his former family. He idolized Maxson. And I'm going to feed that brat his own teeth. Love may not be enough. I'm not sure it would be for me. And I've heard nothing from him since he left. No runner, no radio."

"You'll know soon enough. And I know you, Blue. You won't let him go without saying goodbye." Belle nodded. "Come on, general. You have an army to muster."


	32. Ad Victoriam

Belle's thoughts had been miles away since the Prydwn fell and Maxson lay dead at her feet. Victory was not a simple process, it took weeks and work. She had personally seen each wounded Minuteman to thank them for their sacrifice and to hash out plans for their returns home and compensation. She wrote letters with Preston to send to families who would never see their loved ones again, their signatures dappled in tear drops. The Brotherhood members who had surrendered to them and wished to join their ranks were currently having their armor updated and there was rumor of merging the two groups into its own being. Preston had laughing asked her if she wanted to be a High Elder, General, or the Elder General. Belle wasn't going to waste the power armor, but they were going to be Minutemen and that was final. There was night after night of celebration. Shaun and Nat adored the fireworks Ronnie had fired every night from the twin artillery.

Belle looked over her shoulder knowing there was no way for her to still see them on the Castle walls waving goodbye. Piper and Claire were going to take them to Diamond City with Mac accompanying them. She smiled, he was the best 250 caps she had ever spent. Piper and Claire could move the kids fine but she felt better knowing her mercenary friend was guarding them before heading back to his own son. Preston had wanted her to take an armed escort for her own safety, but the Commonwealth wasn't going to protect itself and she would draw very little attention with how she traveled. The walk had never felt so long though. She had never walked it alone. Even with her first trip to Diamond City, Dogmeat had accompanied her. He was holding down Red Rocket for her. She had a bare hope that his thumping tail was not the only thing waiting for her there.

She came over the rise and spied the familiar red sign, unlit. The rest of the windows were dark. The garage was shut. Belle crossed the parking lot with heavy steps. Red Rocket was empty except for Dogmeat's forlorn whine.

 

"What are you going to do now, Blue?" Piper squeezed her shoulders as they watched Nat and Shaun play.

Belle shrugged. "Find my way. The Minutemen need their General." Her gaze went beyond the walls of Piper's home and Diamond City. "I think I will make another trip to Far Harbor and take Shaun with me. He needs to see how synths can live in the real world, without the Commonwealth's fear. Without our battles, without the Railroad's agendas. DiMa has a good thing going there and the people, I liked them. All of them." She scuffed her boot on the floor. "But I'm going to let him make the choice. I'm a woman out of time but, if I've proven anything since waking up, I'm adaptable."

Belle ignored the tears forming in Piper's eyes. "Blue, you have friends here. You don't have to run because of him."

She smiled, dropping the mask she had held in place for so long relishing the ache it left. "You won't get rid of me that easily. But as long as we still have genocidal Brotherhood maniacs running around, Shaun isn't safe in the Commonwealth. I will hunt every last bastard down to make sure he is safe." She straightened her shoulders letting the feral smile widen as Piper took a step back. "The Institute should have killed me in the freezer, Piper. I'll make the Commonwealth safer, but can they handle the monster needed to do it?"

She stooped to hug Shaun. "I'll be back, love. Be a good boy for Piper and Claire." He hugged her back.

He called out after her when she reached the door. "Where are you going?"

Belle's hand froze on the knob before she turned back to them. The kids still on the floor. Claire with her hand wrapped in Piper's; the picture of a happy family frozen in time. Piper's face held mix of sadness and shock. Claire's face spoke of sorrow. "Mama is going hunting." Shaun nodded once, in complete understanding.

Belle's smile was soft as she held out her arms for one more hug. The original Shaun may not have been hers, but this one, this child of parts and codes, this one was the child of her heart. "Be back soon?"

"I will." She kissed his forehead. "And then we are going to take a trip. A boat ride to visit some friends I made, DiMa and Longfellow and Captain Avery. I think you will really like them."

Shaun's eyes brightened. "Far Harbor where you did the Captain's Dance." She nodded. "Could we stay there?" The boy swallowed nervously. "It sounds safe. Diamond City isn't safe." He leaned his head against Belle's shoulder as tears formed on her lashes. "It's not safe for me."

She opened and closed her mouth several times searching for words and hugging him tighter. "I need answers, little love. Nicky is right around the corner. You have Dogmeat. Hell, I bet Deacon will be sneaking through soon." She sighed. "Listening Post Bravo and back. No detours, my promise as General, and then we will go to Far Harbor."

Shaun giggled at her promise. "Okay, Mama." He looked at her thoughtfully. "Is Preston going with you?" She nodded. "Good. You need someone to remind you that you don't always have to be the monster."

Only one side of her mouth turned up in a smile as she ruffled his hair one more time. "I have to go. Be good." He went back to playing.

It was Claire who stopped her with the door open. "Belle, don’t be too angry."

She sighed, a slight chuckle forming on the end of it before she met her sister's eyes. "It's okay, Claire. People shouldn't have to live in fear."

"And if they fear you?"

She squared her shoulders. "Shaun doesn't fear me. Preston doesn't. No one in my settlements cowers when I walk by. I try to be fair. But I'm angry. He left without a word. I want to clear the air and move on, nothing more."

"And the hunt for remaining Brotherhood cells?"

Belle's grin was sharp. "As needed only, Claire. Only if they are a threat. It's on a Brotherhood broadcast that if they stand down they won't be harmed. Harm none, no harm done."

Claire nodded. "Alright. Good luck, sister mine. Hopefully I can calm Piper down from your little show and convince her you haven't been replaced by a synth and that the real you isn't dead in a well somewhere."

Belle shrugged. "What if I was? Maybe that's the reason I am the sole survivor of Vault 111." Belle laughed at Claire's stunned expression. "See you soon."

She met Preston at the gates of Diamond City. "I thought you were going to keep me waiting for another war, general."

She chuckled. "Just a domestic one."

 

It had been a good walk. It had been a long time since she had traveled with Preston, forgotten the easy laughter and the ease of walking with someone content to walk side by side, not behind her or in front of her trying to prove something. She adjusted her shotgun on her back before giving him a grin. "Thanks for coming with me, Preston."

"Easy enough, you've done all the hard work saving the Commonwealth from the Institute and the Brotherhood. Anytime you need someone to stand by you, I'll be there, Belle."

She focused her eyes on the horizon knowing Bravo would be in coming into view soon and ignoring the burn of tears. "I know. You're a good friend. The first I made out here, even when I was still half crazy from the vault." She sighed, adjusting her pack. "Shaun wants to go to Far Harbor when I get back. We have a few settlements there but harborfolk are pretty self-sufficient."

"Radio Freedom reaches that far." She nodded. "Then I don't see what the problem is. With everything you dragged out of the Institute combined with the Minutemen getting stronger every day we are more self-sufficient too. We still need our general, but you need to have a life too."

She grabbed his hand, giving it a good squeeze before smiling and letting him go. "Then that's what we will do." She chuckled. "For once, I have plan that isn't let's shoot it."

They came over the last hill and looked down at the listening post. Belle blew forcefully through her nose. "At least I called it right and he's here."

"I'll take up by the door. You yell if you need me. Even if it's just to witness you beating his ass." Belle nodded, pale with sun setting behind her. Preston put a hand on her shoulder. "He's just a man.” She nodded again and took off down the hill, looking like the General and feeling very much like a gerbil lost in the wilderness.

She let herself into the building and dropped her shotgun and pack by the door. She stepped into the dim interior and met his eyes across the room. "Hello, Danse." He looked down at his laced fingers in silence. "I'm getting the silent treatment after almost two years of sleeping together, one major identity crisis, and surprise I'm a Mom." She hugged her arms around herself. "I just want one answer, Danse, and then I'm gone. You won't ever see me again." Her voice broke on the last of words and he finally looked at her. Tears slid quietly down her cheeks as she softly asked, "Why did you leave an empty building for me to find?"

He stood and she flinched away causing sorrow to etch its way across his features. "They were my family. For all their faults, they were still my family and you killed them."

She nodded. "It was your family or mine then." She took a shaky breath. "I had just hoped our family could be enough, that love was enough." She wiped the tears from her eyes, straightened her spine and met his eyes with every inch the General she was. "Shaun and I are leaving the mainland and going to Far Harbor to start over. Claire and Piper are settled in Diamond City, and Mac is headed back to Duncan. Preston has the Minutemen firmly under his belt and doesn't need me as much as he flatters me into thinking. You don't have to hide out here from me, I'll be gone for the most part other than random settlement visits."

He nodded, lapsing back into silence. She stared at him, memorizing every detail of his face, the days old shadow along his jaw before tracing along the lines of his shoulders. She shook her head. "Haylen will be out in a couple of weeks. She joined the Minutemen as a traveling doctor. She misses you." Belle turned and grabbed her pack settling it on her shoulders. She hefted her shotgun into her hands, feeling the grain catch against her fingers. She waited a second, giving him the chance to call her back, to say something, and was met with more silence. She set the gun strap on her shoulder and pulled the door open. "Stay safe, paladin."


	33. A New Way

"You ready, Shaun?"

He wiggled his toes between the floor boards. "Can I stay with Longfellow this time?

Belle looked to the man in question who nodded. "Someone needs to teach him how to shoot better than his mother. You'd spend less time cleaning your guns if you didn't put the muzzle on your target."

Belle rolled her eyes. "I waste less ammo that way." She tousled the boy's hair and kissed his forehead with a well wish until she returned.

He hugged her hard. "Maybe he can teach you to shoot when you get back."

She chuckled. "Maybe. I would rather finish our place first before we wear out our welcome." She grabbed her pack and a trusty shotgun with a backwards glance. Longfellow had his hands on the boy's shoulders both of them wearing smiles and she jerked her face forward, fighting her galloping heart into submission.

 

Belle wiped the sweat from her brow with a laugh before tossing her supplies off the roof. The essentials of their cabin were done. It had taken them six months but it was hers and Shaun's, far from the Commonwealth and all its trouble. She took a deep breath of the salty air enjoying the warm sun on her skin. Shaun had gone up to Far Harbor with Dogmeat that morning to play with the other children and to let her work in peace. "Cap'n?"

She smiled down at Longfellow. "Yes?"

"Roofs are not made for standing."

She chuckled. "Someone moved my ladder." She sat on the lowest edge, kicking her feet. "I can't believe it's done. I've never had anything that's just mine before, Red Rocket turned into a rest stop for the Minutemen and caravans." She smiled down at him. "Thank you for all the help, and the spot on your island."

"There's room enough." He answered gruffly. Her smile widened as she let her hair fall around her face. She slid off the roof, turning to hang by fingertips and eyeing the ground. Just as she was bracing to drop the last few feet she felt his hands on her hips. "I've got you."

She held a second longer before the quiet, gentle strength in his hands floated her to the ground. His hands lingered a second longer than necessary on her waist and she chewed her lip. "Thanks." She laughed softly. "I'll have to keep that in mind inside or I'll be calling you to get things off of the shelves when Shaun isn't home to climb them."

"What are you going to do on the inside?" She gathered her tools and dumped them into the toolbox to carry. He followed her in.

She stood in the middle of the cabin, slowly turning it over in her mind. "A loft area for Shaun to sleep in with a desk and his own bookcase, with a ladder to reach it." She smiled pointing to the large window, that he had complained about when she put it in. "My desk is going there so I can watch the water while I work and the garden when I get it put in this spring. Bookshelves on both sides."

"How many bookshelves do you need?"

"Ah. Four." She grinned at his shocked look. "I worked at the Boston Public Library as an archivist before the war. I have salvaged every book I could find. And now I'm writing my own. No one else may ever care about what I remember from before or everything I've done the past couple of years but I will when I have a few more grey hairs." She spun the circle again to stare at the space for the loft. "I think I can knock that out today."

She hammered in the last nail as night fell. Shaun whooped with delight as he ran to gather their sleeping bags. Longfellow handed her a bowl of dinner that she set into with an appreciative growl. She chuckled as the boy wrestled the bags across the damp earth and in the door. "It's like he's tired of sleeping under your table."

Longfellow shrugged, the fire casting light and shadows on his face. “Everyone needs their own space. And you snore.”

Belle froze with the spoon halfway to her open mouth, eyes wide. “I do no such thing.”


	34. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From Belle's Perspective

Another century has passed as I tend my stones on Old Longfellow Island at Far Harbor. Shaun is an adult trapped in a child's body. He says he doesn't mind, that he enjoys the element of surprise when attackers drop their guard around a mere child. I smile at the thought, how truly it sank home that he was my son the day I returned from my last turn as General to find the ground of the island soaking up the blood of intruders. His beaming face when he told me "I did it myself, Mom." My smile falls as I add today's stone. I've buried everyone I've loved. Longfellow was the first. I trace his name with fondness. Helpmate and friend, eventually my lover and husband, too soon taken by the Fog and its dangers. I buried him with a bottle at his head and another at his feet in the ground he loved. Twenty years we had together as husband and wife. It wasn’t many years until I added more stones but then it felt like they fell from my hands like rain. Preston. Piper. Nat. Avery. The Mariner. Mac. All gone, all stones. Even Dogmeat left us, just disappeared one day when his muzzle was grey and an old injury had kept him confined to the cabin the past winter, the biting cold of sea setting an ache in his bones. I wanted to find him, but Longfellow and Shaun convinced me to let him have his dignity. His stone is the biggest, next to Longfellow's, with an old red bandana tied around it.

Today I add Claire's. I don't think I will go back to the Commonwealth. She hadn't been right since Piper passed but I knew it was different the last time I visited. This time I woke up to her crouched over me, saliva dripping on to my cheek and eyes dead. I kept repeating in my head, it's just meat. That my sister was no longer in there. A single moment of clarity before the bullet caught her between the eyes, was it relief I saw? Or contempt? I shake my head and settle the stone with a scatter of aster seeds. They bloom every spring, not as bright as they were before the war but they do. They look nice framed by the hubsflowers. There are footsteps on the path leading to the cabins. "Shaun?"

He steps into view with a reproachful look, fiddling with his rifle that looks outlandishly large compared to his small frame. I know he wields it with ease and consideration. "A man is here to talk to you. He's familiar and down at the water."

I sigh and stand, dusting the dirt from my jeans. "The Mother of the Mists doesn't take callers."

Shaun cracks a smile at the name. After Captain Avery and the others died, the woman who lived on Longfellow's Island became a thing of legend. An immortal witch who would help the harborfolk if given the appropriate bribe or reason, but not to be trifled with. Fifty years and they still hadn't figured out there was robots beneath the mirelurk shells. Or that Shaun is just one child with an assortment of wigs and a knack for theatrics, not that I save children who drown. "He's not a harborman, some mainlander. He asked for the General."

I chew my lip. I haven't been the General in a long time. I left the hat in Preston's capable, and protesting, hands not long after coming to Far Harbor. Oh sure, I went back to help but I liked the peace and solitude. "Did he mention Nicky?" Shaun shook his head. I blew hard and started down the path, grabbing my trusty shotgun from the old stump.

"Want me to cover you from the roof?"

"No." I call over my shoulder. "If he can survive a shotgun blast to the face, you'll need to activate the defenses." I hear his chuckle, his voice old for such a young body. Doctor Amari died before we thought about transferring him to an adult body. Maybe it was time I brought it up again. He doesn’t have to stay here with me forever, there is a whole world to explore. The water's edge comes into view along with the man; Boots, plain jeans, worn and clumsily mended, and a leather bomber jacket. Memory tugs at me but I brush it away as I push my hair out of my face. The curls are downright belligerent after spending this many years next to the sea but I adore them long and free about me. It matches the wildness I still feel in my soul from time to time that sends me scurrying across the island looking in its hidden places for treasures. Shaun jokes that's the real reason we need two cabins is not because he wanted his own space but because we needed room for my junk.

"Can I help you, stranger?" My heart plummets through my stomach and into my boots, and then past them deep into the rich earth of the island. But it isn't enough to ground me as my gaze follows the all too familiar jawline and meets eyes that have haunted my dreams all these years. My voice leaves me in a broken croak. "Danse?"

He smiles uncertainly, eyes crinkling at the corners as he twists an old wool cap in his hands. so similar to one I had given him all those years ago when winter had grasped the Commonwealth in its icy grip. I had tried to show him how to skate on a frozen lake, laughing and breathless in the sharp air while love bloomed soft and warm in my heart. His voice drags me back to the present. "I wasn't sure it would be you. I thought maybe it was a daughter from the descriptions. But it's you."

I shrug, slinging the shotgun over my shoulder. "Synths are sterile and ageless. You should know that. Longfellow would have welcomed a daughter to go with our son but we were happy with what we had." My words make him flinch, but I can't summon up any satisfaction from it. I sigh, feeling bone weary. "What do you want, Danse? You have your answer. The Mother of the Mists is the old General. I've buried everyone. Everyone is gone but us and Nick."

He stared at me, a coolness in his gaze. "And is he your new lover?"

I scoff. "And if he is? It's been a century, Danse. Jealousy ill becomes you. You walked away once, do it again and get off my island. Do some commerce at Far Harbor, get back on whatever boat brought you here and leave." I turn and begin up the path. I make it two steps before I feel his hand on my shoulder. I spin, intending to connect my fist with his jaw even if means I have to suffer the indignity of a jump. A shot cracks through the air, the bullet burying itself deep in the earth before I can unleash my momentum, freezing us in place before both our heads whip towards the origin of the sound.

Shaun stands on the bank above the path, cocking back the hammer for the second shot. "Let go of my mother."

Danse releases me, palms in the air and steps back with his eyes trained on him with the same military precision he had when we hunted together. "That's not the roof, Shaun." Shaun grunts a response, his gaze not much different from Danse's, a predator in its home territory. I sigh. "Stop it. Now." They both look at me, the crack of the General sitting easy on my tongue even now. "He's leaving. You won't be taking pot shots." I wave them towards their separate directions.

Shaun cautiously lowers his rifle. "Who is he?"

Danse blinks, hurt scattering across his face as I answer. "Danse, formerly Paladin of the Brotherhood." Shaun raises his rifle again and I shake my head. "He's a synth too. He's no threat to us." I turn my next words to Danse. "Unless you don't leave and I shoot you for trespassing."

He sighs, staring down at his feet. "I don't have anywhere to go. You aren't the only one to have buried everyone you loved."

I stare at him, insides warring. I sigh, defeated. "Fine. Tomorrow, I will take you up to Acadia." He looks at me blinking. "It's the synth colony, full of lots of lovely people. They always need more folks that understand weapons. Chase will appreciate your skills. They are easy companions."

Shaun grumbles and disappears into the trees as I lead him up the path. "Why do you live down here then?"

"This is home." I smile at the ground before I begin to recite the words carved on the door of mine and Longfellow's cabin. "Stay, stay at home, my heart, and rest; Home-keeping hearts are happiest, for those that wander they know not where are full of trouble and full of care; To stay at home is best." The paint has faded but I trace my fingers along the words every morning. A promise we made to each other every time one of us went out without the other. I wipe the errant tear from my eye and catch Danse staring. I duck my head, heat suffusing my cheeks and shrug lamely. "This is home."

We come up the last bit of the path the main cabin square at the entrance. Longfellow joked that it made it easier to shoot trappers dumb enough to walk up the trail. I don't want to show Danse our cabin, not yet. I want him to understand. I take him to the new cabin and we stand on the porch. I tell him how we built it, a home for Shaun and I. Now it's just Shaun's, which is why we stay outside. It's a war zone in there. I hear a muffled is not from the roof and smile. I don't need to look up to know he's on his favorite perch, carefully watching Danse's every move. I'm sure Danse can feel his eyes boring into his soul. I wave a hand towards the outhouse with its crescent cut into the door as I take him to the boardwalk at the back of the island. The weather is giving us a good day and we can see miles of ocean. Another time I would perch on the rail and enjoy the view but not today, not with old memories walking beside me. My pace picks up as we pass the garden and the livestock and I brag about our self-sufficiency.

He stops at the hubsflowers and asters and I sigh. I know they only bloom in one place in the yard. He stares at the stones and so do I. I trace the letters. Some are hasty, carved when grief was fresh and jagged. Others I was able to carve with elegance and grace. I tear my eyes from them and look skyward and will the tears to stay behind my lashes. "Who's Hannah?"

My tongue feels thick but my voice is still. "His first wife. She was taken by the Children of Atom." I stoop, brushing a leaf from the little stone next to it. "She joined them. He tried to save her and she spit her pregnancy in his face. The baby died. But we decided to remember them anyway."

He nods. "Haylen and I." He looks at me like he expects anger. I nod with a smile. I knew, Piper told me when she heard. She had been angry for my sake but I hadn't been. Of course, that same visit I introduced her to Longfellow and she understood. I'm still smiling at the memory when he clears his throat. "She died of old age."

"I'm sorry, Danse. She was a good woman." He shrugs and I lead him to the cabin.

"This is home." I push open the door, the green paint faded and peeling. I joked about how it was wall green when we painted it. Longfellow insisted we paint the trim to match. I run my fingers over the words as I close my eyes, wishing he was here beside me. I swallow back the tears forming in my throat and step aside to let Danse in. The bed is still in the corner, a pile of handmade quilts resting on it. The one of top I made the winter we married, I had carefully ripped out yards of thread from clothing and then pieced together old wool before embroidering the cabin on it. The others were simpler, but on each quilt in a corner I stitched love from your captain. The cold made his bones hurt in his later years and he claimed the blankets and love made them better.

Danse is admiring the bookshelves while I am wrapped up memories. "Where did you find these?"

I smile. "Longfellow made them while I was out on Minutemen business. I had been keeping my books in trunks and he was tired of tripping over the damn things. Or having them stacked on the table. Or trying to go sleep to find the pillow had a hard place." I run my fingers along the spines, my heart warm. "It was his idea of a proposal. If I give you a place to keep your books, maybe you'll settle down with an old man like me. He didn't realize he wasn't getting rid of me at that point anyway, that's why the books were in his cabin."

Danse blinks owlishly. "You really loved him."

"I still do." My voice is a little sharp, but his words sting. "I've always been capable of love. I love deeply or not at all." I turn away and pull down the ladder to the storage loft. "I have a sleeping bag. Sometimes synths stay here to wait for Chase if they are too jumpy to stay in town. Sometimes the Mother of the Mist finds a lost child and keeps them a night." I toss down the bag and pillow. "You're tonight's lamb."

I climb back down and go to toss the ladder back up and he places his hand on the rung. "Did you love me?"

Anger blossoms in my chest, the likes of which I haven't felt in a long time. Not since I lost Piper to some idiot who didn't like her article, that gunned her down in the streets of Diamond City. I take a deep breath. "If you have to ask that question, you didn't know me at all." I turn to stare up at him, so close I can smell his still familiar scent remembering how it used to play along my skin. "I loved you. But it wasn't enough.”

I push past him and burst through the door knocking into Shaun. "Mom?" My breaths shudder as I wrap my arms around myself. He wraps his arms around me in a tight hug. "Take a walk on the ocean side, the view is great today. I'll take care of dinner." He grabs Longfellow's old jacket from its hanger. "Take this, the wind is picking up. Even the Mother of the Mists can get cold."

I give him a shaky smile and slip it on before bolting for the boardwalk. Wrapped in his coat I can almost pretend he will join me at any moment. Wrap his arms around me from behind and whisper pretty words in my ear before dragging me back home. Sometimes he stood out here with me and asked about life before the war or smiled as I sang to the sea. He never tired of my voice, he hunted for old song books and pestered newcomers for songs to teach me. He wanted to know how a woman that loves the ocean, who sang it lullabies on stormy nights, could have lived without ever seeing it until she walked out of a vault 200 years later. Beside me, always beside me. He was never behind me letting me take care of him or in front me playing hero. He understood the wildness and the anger that I couldn't always form into words. I let the tears fall and grieve again for the man I lost and let them burn bitter about the man that came back.

 

The next morning, I am up bright and early to feed the cats. I scratch the old tabby under his chin. "Loki, you catch some nice fat mice today. Or get the others to do it."

Danse stretches in the morning light. "How many do you have?"

"Four. Loki." I cease the scratches to his displeasure to point out the others. "Demon. Siren. Fucker." He arches an eyebrow and I shrug. "She likes to hide under the bed and bite you."

I grab my shotgun and sling it across my shoulder. "Grab your stuff. It's a clear morning. I want to get up the mountain and back down before the island changes her mind."

"Is it dangerous?"

I stare it him. "Oh no. It's full of friendly anglers and gulpers, rabid wolves. Oh and bears. Or whatever you people call them."

Shaun appears, eating breakfast. "Don't forget the trappers. They like eating people and synths." He grins mouth full of mutfruit with juice leaking down his chin. "Delicious."

 

The gates of Acadia are still a simple but welcome site. Kasumi meets me at the gate, the long ago reason that brought me to this island. We hug. "Nice to see you again."

She stares at Danse. "Wow. I didn't know they made us like you." I suppress a chuckle as she blushes. She hurriedly stumbles over her words. "DiMa isn't feeling well but wanted me to say hi."

I sigh. "He does too much. He needs to let Faraday take care of him."

"I know. But you know how he is."

I nod. "Well, I'm going back down. I want to be home before dark."

"Tell Shaun I said hi!"

"Will do." I give a backwards wave as I take off down the mountain. I hear footsteps behind me and sigh.

"Belle."

"Danse." I keep walking, one foot in front of the other.

"I'm sorry." At that I do stop and turn to face him. "I'm sorry I left without a word."

I hold up my hand silencing him. "It's been a hundred years, Danse. The only person you need forgiveness from is yourself." His mouth falls slightly open and I can feel a smile forming on my lips. I finger the old worn buttons on Longfellow's coat and let it blossom. "I found happiness. And believe it or not I am still happy, even when I miss him. He's my home and when it's my time to take the Long Walk, I know he's waiting for me, to walk beside me like he did in life." His shoulders fall and I shake my head. He's still lost after all this time. "DiMa and the others can give you answers and purpose. They are good people, and you'll make friends. Kasumi will talk your ears off." I take the few steps towards and give him a swift brief hug before pushing him towards Acadia. "We were just a song and a dance, you and I."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


End file.
